Jaiswal's Goa Move Triggers Backlash, Mumbai Great Says "No Matter What..."

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer has spoken about Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Yashasvi Jaiswal's slowest fifty of his Indian Premier League (IPL) career against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Saturday in the ongoing IPL 2025. He felt that Jaiswal was not finding his form even after scoring a fifty; he was trying to hit the ball really hard. "When he [Jaiswal] performs, he will be winning the games except that it was the slowest half-century of Jaiswal's IPL career, off 40 balls, and it didn't look like he was finding his form, he was still looking to hit the ball really hard," Wasim Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo's Timeout show.

He reflected on Jaiswal's batting in his 45-ball 67, which included five sixes and three fours but also 12 dot balls; he indicated a need for more consistency as he settles into IPL 2025.

"He hit five sixes and three fours, so that's a high boundary rate, but he still played a lot of dot balls. There were 12 dot balls in Jaiswal's 45-ball 67. Perhaps not a massive number for someone still looking to settle into IPL 2025, " he added.

Jaffer was also against the idea of Jaiswal quitting Mumbai to play Ranji Trophy for Goa, hinting that a player of his caliber should be making better career choices if he wants to play for India in all three formats.

"I was surprised and shocked for him to go and play for Goa. First of all, no matter what Goa was offering, you don't leave Mumbai, especially at this age. You know, it's ok is somebody is 34 or 35 and then you want to go out. First of all, he shouldn't be looking at playing Ranji Trophy. For somebody like him, he should be playing for India in all three formats," he added.

Notably, he also scored the fastest fifty in the IPL in just 13 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders back in 2023. His strike rate in T20 internationals is 164.31 and 149.30 in the IPL. His strike rate in T20I is the ninth highest and third highest by an Indian batter. In the previous two IPL editions, Jaiswal's strike rate was over 155. His best season came in 2023, when he scored 625 runs with a strike rate of 163.

Jaiswals's only hundred in International cricket came against Nepal, where he crossed the 100-run mark in 49 balls. His maiden IPL century came against Mumbai Indians, where he scored 124 runs in just 62 balls with a strike rate of 200.00.

A half-century by Yashasvi Jaiswal and top bowling spells from Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma and Maheesh Theekshana helped RR secure a 50-run win over PBKS in their IPL clash at Mullanpur on Saturday. Jaiswal scored his first fifty of the season after a poor start with 1, 29 and 4 with the bat before this game. His innings of 67 (45) included three fours and five sixes, striking at 148.89.

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