"Yashasvi a down-to-earth, focused player...": Dilip Vengasarkar
New Delhi [India], May 8 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar lauded Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, calling him a "focused" and "down to earth" player who he has watched since his U14 days. Jaiswal will be representing India at the ICC T20 World Cup this year from June 1 in the West Indies and USA and is currently playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Speaking to the ANI at the sidelines of the launch of the BIG Cricket League in Delhi, Vengsarkar said, "Yashasvi is someone I have been watching him since U14 days. I had taken him to England with my academy. He is very consistent and focused as a player. He is very passionate and down to earth."Speaking about the league, Vengasarkar said that 60 players out of over 12,000 players who gave trials will be getting a chance to play with international stars. This will also include players who could not play state level cricket. The ongoing IPL has been very mixed for Jaiswal, from whom much was expected after a 625-run season just last year which earned him a spot in the Indian team. In 11 matches so far, Jaiswal has scored 320 runs at an average of 32.00 at a strike rate of 157.63, with a century and fifty. His best score is 104. In 17 T20Is for India however, he has barely put a foot wrong, scoring 502 runs in 16 innings at an average of 33.46 and a strike rate of 161.93, with a century and four half-centuries. His best score is 100. Coming to the mega event, India will begin their World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5, 2024, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, followed by the marquee clash against Pakistan on June 9, 2024, at the same venue. India will then play the USA and Canada on June 12 and 15, respectively. India is placed in Group A of the tournament alongside arch-rivals Pakistan, Ireland, Canada and co-hosts USA. Their campaign begins on 5 June against Ireland at the newly-constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York before they take on Pakistan in one of the most awaited matches of the upcoming T20 World Cup. Squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj. Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. (ANI)