Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali had some strong words for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who’s been struggling lately with his game. He urged Jaiswal to find his love for cricket again to avoid a path similar to that of Prithvi Shaw, once celebrated as a promising young player but who has faced a tough time in his career. Jaiswal seemed to be on top of the world after bursting onto the scene in 2023, but it looks like he’s hit a rough patch since he returned from Australia, where the team faced a disappointing 3-1 loss in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Right now, he’s under fire for his lackluster performances in the ongoing IPL season. Aside from a 67-run innings against Sunrisers Hyderabad, his bat has been pretty quiet. The 23-year-old, who was once the shining star for the Rajasthan Royals, seriously needs to step up his game as the matches are coming thick and fast in this busy, money-filled league. It’s common for players to go through tough times, but Basit believes Jaiswal’s current struggles are mainly due to a wandering focus. He pointed out, “He’s not concentrating on cricket like he should be. Here’s my open message: the game can really get to you. Just look at Prithvi Shaw. You need to love cricket and play with passion.
As Jaiswal works to find his groove again, other young players like Priyansh Arya and Sai Sudharsan are stealing the spotlight with their impressive performances. Priyansh, who opens for Punjab Kings, made headlines recently by smashing records with a stunning 39-ball century against the powerful Chennai Super Kings. Meanwhile, Sudharsan, who plays for Gujarat Titans, has also been in great form, scoring 82 runs off 53 balls against the Rajasthan Royals. With a total of 273 runs across five matches, he’s firmly in the chase for the Orange Cap, which goes to the tournament’s top scorer.
As fresh talents keep emerging in Indian cricket, Basit shared thoughts on the recent retirements of cricket veterans like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from T20s after their World Cup win in 2024. He thinks they made the right call, even if he initially had some doubts about Kohli stepping away. “At first, I thought Virat shouldn’t retire, but looking at the young talent we have now, it seems like a smart move, he noted.
In summary, though Jaiswal is facing challenges right now, he’s got a lot of potential to bounce back, and with so many rising stars in the game, the future of Indian cricket looks bright.
