'Excited’ Yashasvi Jaiswal confident of fitting into any role

Left-hand batter Yashasvi Jaiswal's fairytale story and meteoric rise got another boost on Monday with his maiden call up to the Indian Test squad for the tour of the Caribbean next month. “It’s a very good feeling. I need to keep my focus and keep doing what I am doing," Jaiswal said.

From sleeping in tents at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan in his quest to learn the sport, Jaiswal has made all his years of hard work count through consistent performances. In 15 first-class games, he averages 80.21 with nine hundreds.

What added to his growing reputation was the attention-grabbing show in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, in which he scored 625 runs at an average of 48.08 for Rajasthan Royals. A strike-rate of 163.61 was proof of his rapid development thanks to hours spent honing his skills at the Rajasthan Royals Academy, Talegaon, near Nagpur.

It led to the selectors naming him as a stand-by for last month's World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, in London.

Even though West Indies is now seen as a relatively easier tour, Jaiswal faces the prospect of filling in the big shoes of Cheteshwar Pujara as the southpaw is being looked upon as a possible option at No. 3. Jaiswal usually opens for Mumbai and his IPL side, and it will therefore be a change in role if he is tried out at Pujara’s position.

“I don’t know that much and where I will bat, but let’s see how it goes. I am really excited to go there and express myself," said Jaiswal.

The 21-year-old is positive about adapting to any role the team management decides for him. “Of course, I am ready to do whatever the team needs (me to do) and I am just looking forward to it (the tour),” he said.

Jaiswal is eager to carry the confidence gained in IPL and domestic games into international cricket. “It (season) was amazing with plenty of learning. I hope I will be doing things which went right, focus on the process and keep moving forward.”

The WTC experience of staying with the Test squad should help him ease into the team environment. “It was a really nice experience, had a nice time with the team,” Jaiswal said.