'Will soon play for India': Ravi Shastri drops paramount remarks over standout RR batsman

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri heaped praises on an uncapped Indian player ahead of the doubleheader in the Indian Premier League 2023 on Sunday, May 14. As Rajasthan Royals geared up to host Royal Challengers Bangalore in Match 60 of IPL 2023, Shastri claimed that the Team India selectors must be having a close eye on RR opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. The 21-year-old heads into the game against RCB, after smashing 98* off 47 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders.

"The selectors must be closely monitoring Jaiswal and he will soon play for India. The best thing about him is the way he's raised his graph. There is power in his game, there's timing. He has very bright future prospects," Shastri told Star Sports. Prior to Sunday’s game, Yashasvi Jaiswal found himself second in the IPL 2023 Orange Cap standings with 575 runs to his credit, which was one run less than table topper Faf du Plessis.

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Yashasvi Jaiswal's journey so far in the India Premier League

In the 2020 auction, RR gained him for a significant sum of INR 2.40 crore, impressed by his exceptional performance in the U-19 World Cup and domestic competitions. Jaiswal captained India in the Under 19 World Cup 2020, where he amassed 400 runs in total. At the tender age of 17, he became the youngest Indian cricketer to achieve a double century in List A cricket.

Since the 2021 season, Jaiswal has been a consistent personality in the RR squad. In 10 games during that season, he scored 249 runs with a strike rate of 148.21. In the following year, he accumulated 258 runs in 10 games with a strike rate of 132.99, although he could not establish his consistency. But the IPL 2023 season has proven to be one of his finest, as he currently leads the list of top run-scorers for RR.

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Before the RR vs RCB IPL 2023 clash on Sunday, Jaiswal has played 12 games, accumulating an impressive tally of 575 runs with an average of 52.27 and a strike rate of 167.15. Earlier in the season, he achieved his first IPL century, smashing 124 runs against the Mumbai Indians in Match 35. His remarkable performances have made him a valuable asset to the team, as they strive to secure their first title win in 15 years.