Jaiswal batted with maturity against MI, played cricketing shots: Lara

RR’s Yashasvi Jaiswal, after scoring 100 runs during the IPL match against MI, at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, on April 22, 2024.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Impressed with the maturity shown by Yashasvi Jaiswal, West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara said the youngster’s knock against Mumbai Indians was well put together as he perfectly balanced taking his time with shots while still maintaining a high strike-rate.

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 MI here.

“Yeah, beautiful. But the fact of the matter is, he’s taking his time, looking at the ball right from up at the back, and he’s playing cricketing shots. He’s got all the stuff, he doesn’t have to worry about it,” Lara said on Star Sports Cricket Live.

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.

“And when you do get on top of the bowlers, that’s when you take it back, because that’s what I love about Yashasvi.

“It was well put together, great cricketing shots, he’s managed throughout the innings, and anyone knows, if you’re chasing such a good total, at Jaipur and you bounce through the innings, you’re soon as going to get there.

“So he’s shown a lot of responsibility, a lot of maturity, and I’m very happy to have him back.” Medium pacer Sandeep Sharma starred with the ball of RR. He wreaked havoc in the MI camp with the ongoing IPL season’s best bowling performance — 5 for 18.

“Very, very big impact, and also mentioned the fact that he went unsold a couple of years ago, and came in as a replacement player, and this man is cherishing every moment he has out in the middle.”

Sharma had gone unsold at the auction two years ago. RR signed him as a replacement for Prasidh Krishna and the 30-year-old is repaying the faith.

“Every cricketer in India wants to play in the IPL, and they want to play continuously, and that disappointment of not being selected in an IPL auction, he’s now repaying Rajasthan Royals for their belief in him, he is a true professional.

“I’ve watched him over the years, he’s not express-paced, he’s not, you know, one of the boys that, you know, everyone talks about, but he gets the job done every time he goes out in the middle, and he’s just that consummate professional that every team likes to have in their ranks,” Lara said.

With the win, RR consolidated their top spot and inched closer to the playoffs and former Australia skipper Aaron Finch lauded Sanju Samson’s leadership skill.

“He’s leading the side unbelievably well, you can see how calm RR are when they’re under pressure. And the only game they lost was when they had that meltdown against GT right at the back end of the game, so they’ve been so clinical right throughout this IPL and a lot of credit has to go to Sanju for that,” Finch said.