IPL 2021: RR batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal REVEALS how ‘idol’ Sachin Tendulkar helped him improve his game

Young Rajasthan Royals batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal has expressed his joy of having spoken to and picked the brains of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar. Yashasvi said he was "over the moon" upon hearing that he will get to talk to the former Indian batsman before leaving for the Oman tour.

The past few weeks have been really happening for one of Royals' youngest performers, with the 19-year-old not just getting selected and helping Mumbai beat Oman in a One-Day series, but also having the chance to have a one-on-one session with his 'idol' Tendulkar.

Speaking after joining up with the Royals' squad ahead of the IPL, as he quarantines in his hotel room in Dubai, Yashasvi said, "My idol has always been Sachin Tendulkar, and I was really fortunate to have a conversation with him before the Oman tour. I was glad that Mumbai Cricket Association invited him for a session before we left from Mumbai to play against Oman."

"I was over the moon when I first heard he was going to be present there, and when I had the chance to speak to him at length, he was really humble and helped me on some skills where he thought I could improve on.

"It was good to see that a legend like him was aware of my game, and it was certainly a very happy moment for me. I can't wait to keep implementing those things in my game and express myself better on the field," he added.

Reflecting on his recent performances against Oman, Yashasvi said he is happy to have had some cricket under his belt. "It was good practice for me before the big matches in the IPL. It had been a while I had played competitive cricket, and to play against an international team like Oman is certainly good preparation. I'm happy I could score some runs and win some matches for my team."

A tally of close to 300 runs in the one-day and T20 series combined, including best scores of 90, 82 and 75, Yashasvi says having played in similar conditions to UAE will help him during the IPL.

"I had a very good series against Oman and in similar conditions to the UAE. I'm really happy with the way I'm playing my cricket at the moment, and I can't wait to replicate these performances in the IPL against much stronger line-ups," said Yashasvi.

Having had the chance to train during the off-season, Yashasvi utilised the Royals' state-of-the-art facilities in Nagpur and says he's improved on some areas.

"I did a lot of hard work during the lockdown. I went to Nagpur to train at the Royals Centre of Excellence and we had various sessions which were focused on my fitness, technique, mind, and skills," said Yashasvi.