Yashasvi Jaiswal Explained: India's Rising Test Star
Who Yashasvi Jaiswal is — the young Indian Test opener from Mumbai who rose from homelessness as a teenager to international cricket, his extraordinary 2023–24 Test series form (712 runs against England), and his attacking left-handed batting style.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (born 2001 in Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh) is India's most exciting Test batting talent of his generation — a left-handed opening batter who made his Test debut at age 21 and immediately established himself as one of the most technically accomplished young openers in world cricket. His story is extraordinary: as a teenager in Mumbai he was homeless, living in a tent near the cricket grounds, selling pani puri (street food) to fund his cricket, before being taken in by a cricket academy and developing into an India international. The rags-to-riches arc of his career adds cultural significance beyond his on-field achievements.
712 Runs Against England (2024)
Jaiswal's 2024 Test series against England in India — the five-match Bazball series — was his emergence as a global star. He scored 712 runs in the series at an average of 89.0, including two double centuries (214 not out at Rajkot and 208* at Dharamsala), becoming the first Indian in the post-war era to score two doubles in a single home Test series. Against England's aggressive 'Bazball' bowling — targeting the stumps, setting attacking fields — Jaiswal repeatedly countered with aggressive, fearless batting. His ability to dominate from the top of the order while the match was still contested (not just padding totals when victory was secured) marked him as exceptional.
Batting Style
Jaiswal bats left-handed and is technically excellent from an early age — his footwork to spin bowling is particularly impressive, allowing him to come down the pitch to spinners on Indian tracks with remarkable consistency. He drives elegantly through the off side (a feature that often distinguishes the best Indian openers from the merely good), pulls and hooks with conviction, and defends with a straight bat when conditions require patience. His strike rate in Tests (~70+) is high for an opener by Test cricket standards, reflecting genuine intent rather than just accumulation. His IPL cricket (for Rajasthan Royals) has demonstrated his white-ball ability too.
Test Career Trajectory
Jaiswal made his Test debut in the 2023 West Indies series, scoring immediately (76 on debut). He subsequently played in the South Africa tour and the ICC World Test Championship cycle, establishing a Test average above 55 across his first 20+ Tests. His left-handedness makes him valuable in an Indian batting order that is otherwise right-hand dominated (Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Kohli, Pant, Jadeja are all right-handed; a left-hander at the top disrupts bowling lines). He was part of India's squad through the WTC 2023-25 cycle (India did not qualify for the 2025 WTC Final — South Africa beat Australia in the Lord's final) and is central to India's WTC 2025-27 campaign. At 24 years old with a 55+ Test average, the trajectory places him among cricket's most promising long-term investments.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Yashasvi Jaiswal famous outside cricket?
His personal story — moving from a small UP town to Mumbai alone at age 10 to pursue cricket, briefly living homeless near Azad Maidan, selling street food to fund cricket, before being supported by a cricket administrator and eventually representing India. The story has been widely covered in Indian media and resonates as an example of cricket as a vehicle for social mobility.
What is Yashasvi Jaiswal's best Test performance?
712 runs in the 2024 England Test series in India (5 matches, average 89.0) including two double centuries — 214 not out at Rajkot and 208* at Dharamsala. He became the first Indian in the post-war era to score two doubles in a single home Test series, against an England team playing their aggressive 'Bazball' attacking cricket.
Which IPL team does Yashasvi Jaiswal play for?
Rajasthan Royals — he has been with RR since his IPL debut at age 18. His IPL career (as a left-hand opening batter capable of scoring at 150+ strike rate) complements his Test career and keeps him in high-intensity competitive cricket throughout the year.