Over the past few years, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been in exceptional form, scoring runs in both the domestic circuit and the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener has amassed 851 IPL runs, with an average of 27.45 and a strike rate of 139.
Despite his impressive performances, the 21-year-old is yet to debut for the Indian team and faces tough competition from several players. One of his direct rivals for a spot in the team is Ishan Kishan. However, Jaiswal’s recent form in IPL 2023 could see him replace Kishan in the Indian T20I squad.
Here, we look at 3 possible reasons why:
1) His form in IPL
It’s not often that an opener outshines Jos Buttler when batting alongside him, but Yashasvi Jaiswal has managed to do so on several occasions in this season’s IPL. The left-handed Mumbai batter has scored 304 runs this season, with an average of 38 and a strike rate of 147.
Jaiswal has already hit three half-centuries this season and achieved his highest score in the tournament with 77 runs against the Chennai Super Kings in yesterday’s match. The 21-year-old has been in better form than Ishan Kishan when it comes to scoring runs.
2) He is a naturally attacking player
Both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ishan Kishan are aggressive openers who bring a lot of energy to their batting. However, recently it has been Jaiswal who has been more successful in his role, dominating bowlers during the powerplay.
Compared to Kishan, the Rajasthan Royals batter has a wider range of shots and is equally comfortable facing pace and spin. This versatility makes him a challenging opponent for bowlers.
3) His domestic figures can’t be ignored
Jaiswal played a key role in Mumbai’s victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season. Just as he does for the Rajasthan Royals, he provided a solid foundation for his domestic team at the top of the order.
In nine innings, he scored 266 runs with an average of 33 and a strike rate of 142. With 1845 runs in 15 first-class innings, including a highest score of 265, he has also consistently scored runs in the longer format and deserves to be called up to the Indian team soon.
