'Yashasvi Jaiswal found me at midnight. I left hotel at 4 am...': Lara says RR opener 'threatens' to break his records

Rajasthan Royals’ Yashasvi Jaiswal plays a shot

Apart from being one of the brightest young cricketers going around at the moment, Yashasvi Jaiswal is also a sucker for knowledge. Leave him with a former cricketer; he will lose track of time. And if that former cricketer is a legend like Brian Lara, he can go to any extent, like spotting him at a hotel room past midnight and then indulging in a conversation till 4 am.

Lara, who was the head coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad, fondly looked back at his first meeting with Jaiswal when asked about a light moment they shared on the sidelines of the Rajasthan Royals and SRH clash in the ongoing season.

“The only thing I can reveal about that (conversation) is I think he is an outstanding young cricketer. what I like about him is that he is very humble and willing to work. The first time I met him (last year), I immediately found myself attached to him,” Lara told PTI.

The former West Indies captain said Jaiswal found him at the hotel room past midnight and their conversation continued till 4 am.

“After the game (SRH vs Royals), I went to the hotel with a friend of mine from the Caribbean who knew Jos Buttler. It was midnight and Jaiswal found me. I promise you I left the hotel at 4 in the morning.

“He just wanted to hear more and more and more. That is one of his amazing traits. His ability to want to learn as much as possible. Our conversations are about trying to make him a better cricketer. I am available for anyone that has my number. I am happy to talk cricket.”

Yashasvi Jaiswal threatens to break my records: Lara

Jaiswal has gotten off to a fantastic start in his Test career. He became the first Indian after the legendary Sunil Gavaskar to score more than 700 runs in a Test series. Jaiswal did that against England in a five-match Test series at home earlier this year. He also notched up two double hundreds in that series. The left-hander currently averages over 70 in Test cricket. What impressed Lara was Jaiswal’s ability to change gears based on the game situation.

“If I feel my records are threatened, Jaiswal has got a very good chance to do so. He has got capabilities, couple of double hundreds already. He is that good,” Lara said.

Lara, who recently turned 55, is one of the all-time greats of the game having amassed close to 12, 000 runs in Tests and over 10,000 runs in ODIs. His record of the highest individual total, 400 not out against England in 2004, still stands tall.

The legend from Trinidad reckons that usually records are threatened by batters who score quickly and Jaiswal has that ability along with the hunger to bat long.

His 400 not out has not been surpassed in 20 years and Lara hopes he is still around to see the day when his record is broken.

“I think now, the pace that these guys are batting at. And you look at the guys over the years who have challenged that 300-mark and plus. It’s Chris Gayle. It’s Virender Sehwag. It’s Sanath Jayasuriya, It’s Inzamam-ul-Haq. It’s Matthew Hayden. These are guys who destroy bowling attacks.

“…you would not say that for a Rahul Dravid or Steve Smith in the present case. But a player who likes to score quickly, will have an opportunity. You know, Jaiswal, I mean, I was in Australia when David Warner came close and you know, he’s an aggressive player.

“So I believe yes, I think it will be broken at some point in time. I think it has to be that person’s destiny. Everything has to fall into place. And… I look forward to that time. I hope it happens, while I’m still around,” he said.

Lara fond of Abhishek Sharma too

Being a left-hander himself, it is natural for Lara to be biased towards that tribe. Another southpaw he has great admiration for is Abhishek Sharma with whom he spent time at SRH.

“Again he is someone who I met while I was batting coach of SRH. I spent two years there. I am allowed to a bit biased when I see a left-hander, I just love a left-hander. Myself and Abhishek have developed a very good relationship, these youngsters are very humble. they want to learn.

“What I like about these two, they want to get to great heights. I have great admiration for both.”

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