IPL 2024: Yashasvi Jaiswal says focussing on basics helped him find form

PTI, Apr 23, 2024, 8:03 AM IST

Yashasvi Jaiswal (Credit: BCCI / IPL)

Jaipur: India and Rajasthan Royals’ batter Yashasvi Jaiswal on Monday said focussing on the basics and not overthinking during a testing phase helped him find form after a poor run in the ongoing Indian Premier League.

Jaiswal ended a barren run by his lofty standards with his first ton of this IPL to power Rajasthan Royals to a nine-wicket win over Mumbai Indians here.

Having got off to promising starts, the left-handed batter was not able to convert any of his innings so far and had gone without a fifty in seven matches on the trot until this ton.

Jaiswal struck nine fours and seven sixes to make an unbeaten 104 from only 60 balls, a knock which was replete with powerful shots on the leg side and crispy drives.

“I really enjoyed from the start and I made sure I was watching the ball properly and playing proper cricketing shots,” Jaiswal told the broadcaster after the match.

“I’m trying to do what I am doing well, some days it comes good and some days it doesn’t, (but) I’m not thinking much,” he added.

Rajasthan skipper Sanju Samson said the team knew it was only a matter of one game before Jaiswal found his form back.

“I don’t think he (Jaiswal) needs (any advice from) anyone. He’s very confident. (It) was about one game,” Samson said.

Samson credited Sandeep Sharma (5/18) and Avesh Khan for Rajasthan’s comeback in the game, as a 99-run fifth-wicket stand between Tilak Varma (65) and Nehal Wadhera (49) had lifted Mumbai Indians from a difficult position.

“We started well in the powerplay and then the left-handers played (Yuzvendra) Chahal and (Ravichandran) Ashwin well. But the way Sandeep and Avesh came back, that’s why we won the game,” he said.

“The wicket was dry but when the lights came on, the wicket gets better to bat. The way Jos (Buttler) and Yashasvi batted, we knew we had to reset and go again. People are professionals, we backed them to do well,” Samson added.

Mumbai Indians’ skipper Hardik Pandya said he would not get into any immediate dissection of the team’s fifth loss in eight matches so far, which kept them on the seventh spot in the points table.

“After the game, it’s not the right time to go to the players, everyone is professional, they know their roles. What we can do is learn from this game and the mistakes which we have made, rectify it and make sure that we don’t make it,” Pandya said.

“Progression is very important. Within the team, individually, we will have to accept our flaws and maybe work on those,” said Pandya after MI dropped at least three catches against Rajasthan.

Pandya, however, praised the pair of Varma and Wadhera for doing the heavy lifting, particularly after MI were reduced to 20 for three at one stage.

“We put ourselves in trouble early on. The way Tilak and Nehal batted – that was fantastic. I don’t think when we lost a couple of wickets early, (that) we thought we would even reach 180,” he said.