When I scored a century there, those memories of my childhood came back to me – Yashasvi Jaiswal on playing at Wankhede Stadium

India’s rookie batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has opened up on fulfilling his dream of playing at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. As a young kid, Jaiswal dreamt of playing at the iconic venue and worked hard on the same to reach the top level.

As it is known that Jaiswal comes from a humble background but he worked hard to rise through the ranks. The left-hander also scored a majestic century against Mumbai Indians as he smashed a fine knock of 124 runs for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.

The southpaw scored 625 runs in 14 IPL matches in the 16th season of the tournament at an average of 48.08 and an impressive strike rate of 163.61. Ergo, he was awarded Emerging Player of the season.

During an interview with The Indian Express, Yashasvi Jaiswal revealed: “At night, my roommate and I would try and watch the games. It was really a fun time for both of us. Now that I play, I put all my efforts into playing. I could also see the Wankhede floodlights. And I would always wish that God willing, I would play there one day.”

“That thought was always there, he continued. “When I actually played there and especially when I scored a century there, those memories of my childhood came back to me. It motivated me to do even better. I didn’t think that far ahead whether I would play at Wankhede (laughs). I just kept on working, knowing that one day I would reach there.”

Jaiswal added that it is very important to adapt to all three formats. The youngster has received a maiden Test call-up for the tour of the West Indies and he will be looking to grab his chance in the red-ball version.

“For me, it’s very important, because I was always playing with the red ball. I really enjoyed it. Mumbai cricket has that legacy that wherever you are playing, even if it is school cricket or club cricket, there are games that go on for three, four or five days. You hear people are scoring more runs in those games. When I played school cricket, I used to think that whenever I get set, I’d try to go for a big score because that was inculcated in me from Mumbai cricket.”

The first Test match between India and West Indies will be played at Windsor Park in Roseau from July 12 onwards. Jaiswal is expected to bat at number three in the absence Cheteshwar Pujara, who has been dropped from the Test squad.