IPL 2025: Time for Yashasvi Jaiswal to bat his way out of current woes

All is not well, it seems, with – touted as one of India’s future batting superstars along with Shubman Gill. As he looks to shake off an indifferent run of form in IPL 2025 for Rajasthan Royals against table toppers Punjab Kings on Saturday, his fallout with the Mumbai team management seems to be a poorly kept secret now.

The 23-year-old’s decision to leave Mumbai and play for Goa from next domestic season, which went public on Tuesday, had sent shockwaves in circles. While the batter maintained that he had taken a tough call in view of the leadership role being offered by the minnows, informed sources have confirmed a simmering rift between him and a senior member of the Mumbai powerhouse and coaching staff.

Things apparently came to a flashpoint during their Ranji league game against Jammu & Kashmir, which had Rohit Sharma and a number of internationals turning out for Mumbai – though it failed to prevent an upset defeat for the serial champions.

Jaiswal, who failed with scores of four and 26 runs, respectively, had his commitment towards the Mumbai team questioned and a stand-off in the dressing room saw him lose cool against captain Ajinkya Rahane.

While Jaiswal is busy travelling with his IPL team, his childhood coach Jwala Singh – who had groomed him for nine years at his Mumbai home – had been unreachable.

Sources hinted to National Herald that he did not share a comfortable relationship with Rahane ever since the later sent Jaiswal off the ground during a Duleep Trophy game in 2022 for aggressive appealing against South Zone batter Ravi Teja. ‘’If I had not sent him out for a while, Jaiswal could have been banned,’’ Rahane said on that occasion.

While Jaiswal’s rags-to-riches story had been one of the most fascinating stories in Indian cricket in recent times, there is a perception gaining ground whether the stardom and it’s trappings is threatening to make him lose focus. The young sensation, who hailed from the district of Bhadohi in UP and roughed it out in the Mumbai maidan for years, has purchased a lavish 1100 square feet flat in Bandra East.

The only way Jaiswal can silence all is to let the bat, his biggest ally, do the talking. In three innings in IPL 2025, he has cobbled together 34 runs – not quite the kind of start the franchise expected of him as they have released Jos Buttler, one of their rocks.

Golden seasons

It’s quite in contrast to his last two year’s returns in IPL – 434 in 2024 and 625 in 2023, while he had been simply phenomenal as an opener since making his bow in Tests less than two years back. The first three matches saw the management preferring local boy Riyan Parag for captaincy ahead of Jaiswal in Guwahati, their second game, as Sanju Samson was not available for captaincy due to a finger injury.

The young and temperamental Jaiswal has a good equation with Samson, who is back as the captain, and Royals would need both to fire in top gear against an in-form Punjab Kings marshalled by Shreyas Iyer.

Saturday’s matches

Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals (3.30 pm)

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals (7.30 pm)