Yashasvi Jaiswal: From making new IPL records to peddling pani puris

IPL fans had two thrilling games to watch on Sunday because both games were won in the last over by teams who were chasing a score. In both of those games, there were some outstanding individual performances on show, but just one stood out.

Yashasvi Jaiswal could bat, as everyone who has followed Indian cricket over the past few years is aware. He possessed the skills, the style, and the aggression. But the left-hander did something else on Sunday night at the Wankhede stadium against the Mumbai Indians: he made everyone sit up and pay notice.

The southpaw scored 124 runs in 62 balls, becoming the first player in IPL history to reach that milestone. His innings featured 16 fours and 8 sixes. He did it by surpassing the previous IPL record for the best individual score by an uncapped player.

Jaiswal had a difficult road on his way to becoming one of the top young batters in the IPL. When he was younger, he had to sell pani puris and even prepare his own food to make ends meet.

I made a lot of money during Ram Leela. I prayed that my team members would stay away from the pani-puri shop. In an interview with Indian Express in 2018, Jaiswal stated, "Occasionally they did, and I would feel awful feeding them.

"Boys my age would frequently bring food or bring their parents' large meals. It was khana khud banao, khud khao for me. Make your own food and dine by yourself. No morning meal. Grab ahold of anyone nearby and ask them to purchase breakfast, "Added he.

The Rajasthan Royals paid Rs 2.4 crore to purchase Jaiswal at the 2019 auctions. He now appears to have a place at the team almost four years later, and as the competition enters its final stretch, he will try to produce similar bat performances.