Rajasthan Royals opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has spoken warmly about the influence of team head coach Rahul Dravid, calling him an ‘incredible human being’ and a role model to look up to.
Jaiswal has been working closely with Dravid ever since his Under-19 days and played under the Indian legend when he was the mentor of the Indian U19 national cricket team.
Incidentally, Dravid was also the head coach of the Indian senior team when Jaiswal made his international debut in a Test match against the West Indies back in 2023.
The young opener has long credited the former India captain for his steady guidance and mentorship. Now, Jaiswal is working under Dravid again with the Indian icon taking over the reins at Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025.
“He (Rahul Dravid) is also an incredible human being. Having someone like Rahul Dravid sir in this era is a privilege and seeing him up close is an opportunity to learn - not just about cricket but also about the way he carries himself off the field,” Jaiswal told JioHotstar.
“He has maintained such grace and composure over the years, and there is so much to absorb from him. I am truly excited to be here with him and look forward to enjoying this IPL season alongside him,” the 23-year-old added.
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Jaiswal hasn’t had an easy start to IPL 2025 and is yet to hit his stride but the youngster has revealed he has been putting in the hard yards in the nets in order to reclaim his form.
The left-handed opener also provided an insight into the process he follows while batting and how he utilises his time in the nets to implement the same into his game.
“I believe it all comes down to your mindset, experience, and understanding of the game, as well as how much you prioritise the team. For me, the key question is always: What does my team need at this moment? Based on that, I shape my approach and play in a way that benefits the team. If the situation demands that I score 15 runs off six balls, I will go for it,” Jaiswal said.
“If I need to play 50 balls and score 10 runs, I can do that as well. During practice, I create different match scenarios in my mind - how to chase a target, how to rotate the strike and how to adapt to various situations,” he explained.
