West Indies cricketing great Brian Lara was highly impressed with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s match-winning century against Mumbai Indians, praising the youngster’s maturity and well-paced innings. Jaiswal’s knock of 104, which included nine fours and seven sixes, helped Rajasthan Royals secure a comfortable nine-wicket victory, their first century of this IPL season.
Lara lauded Jaiswal’s ability to take his time at the crease, carefully assessing the ball before playing cricketing shots. He also noted the youngster’s impressive shot-making, particularly on the leg side and through cover drives.
“He’s taking his time, looking at the ball right from up at the back, and he’s playing cricketing shots,” Lara said on Star Sports Cricket Live. “He’s got all the stuff, he doesn’t have to worry about it.”
Lara emphasized Jaiswal’s well-managed innings, maintaining a high strike-rate while pacing himself throughout the chase. He expressed his happiness at seeing Jaiswal’s return to form and highlighted the emotional meeting they shared after the game.
In addition to Jaiswal’s batting heroics, medium pacer Sandeep Sharma starred with the ball for RR, delivering the best bowling performance of the ongoing IPL season with figures of 5 for 18. Lara praised Sharma’s impact, noting his resilience after going unsold at the auction two years ago. Sharma’s performance showcased his professionalism and his ability to deliver consistently for his team.
“Very, very big impact, and also mentioned the fact that he went unsold a couple of years ago, and came in as a replacement player, and this man is cherishing every moment he has out in the middle,” Lara said.
Lara also acknowledged the leadership skills of Sanju Samson, attributing RR’s success to his calm and composed approach under pressure. Former Australia skipper Aaron Finch echoed Lara’s sentiments, commending Samson’s ability to guide his team effectively.
“He’s leading the side unbelievably well, you can see how calm RR are when they’re under pressure,” Finch said. “A lot of credit has to go to Sanju for that.”
With this win, RR consolidated their position at the top of the IPL standings, moving closer to securing a playoff spot. The team’s impressive performance has been a testament to the maturity of their young players, the impact of their bowlers, and the effective leadership of Sanju Samson.
