IPL 2025: Was surprised Jaiswal took decision to leave Mumbai for Goa so soon, says Jaffer

New Delhi, April 6 (IANS) Former India batter Wasim Jaffer said he was surprised that young left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal took a very quick decision to leave Mumbai for Goa in the domestic cricket circuit.

On Saturday, Jaiswal put behind a string of low scores when he hit a 45-ball 67 in Rajasthan Royals’ 50-run win over Punjab Kings at Mullanpur. "No matter what Goa was offering him. You don't leave Mumbai, especially at this age (Jaiswal is 23). It's okay if somebody is 34-35 then you want to go out.

"That (differences with Mumbai team management) must have prompted him to take this decision, but I think leaving Mumbai is a shocking decision. Somebody who has played from Under-14s to now for Mumbai, and Goa being a plate-group team that has just come into the elite group - for him to go and play there, whatever time he will spend on first-class cricket, I am surprised he's taken that decision so soon.

"But he shouldn't be looking to play Ranji Trophy. For somebody like him, he should be playing for India in all three formats. That should be his focus. I'm sure it (the move) is playing on his mind. Because that has been happening in this week or two," said Jaffer on ESPNCricinfo.

That fifty against PBKS, coming off 40 balls, was Jaiswal’s slowest fifty in the IPL. It also had 12 dot balls, which indicated that Jaiswal is still trying to find his best form.

"But yes, runs from him is very, very vital for Rajasthan Royals. He's looking a little bit off-colour; trying too hard, trying too hard, too early. He was still looking to hit the ball really hard. He hit five sixes and three fours, so that's a high boundary rate, but still played a lot of dot balls. It didn't look like he was finding his form," added Jaffer.

Mark Boucher, the former South Africa batter, who coached Mumbai Indians in last two IPL seasons, agreed with how Jaffer assessed Jaiswal’s knock.

"Getting to fifty, I think he faced close to 40 balls. Then the next five balls after that, he was at an incredible strike rate. It's almost like he just needed to be there for another two or three overs in order for him to have that match-winning innings that we all know he is very capable of, and he has done in the past. He'll be quite disappointed to get out when he did actually get out. It was at that point where it was the tipping edge for him (to play) a very significant knock," he concluded.

--IANS

nr/bc