'I was clear in my mind that I have to play good cricketing shots' - Yashasvi Jaiswal reflects on his match-winning knock against CSK

Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by 32 runs in the 37th match of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Thursday, April 27. With this win, RR climbed to the top of the IPL 2023 points table with 10 points. CSK, on the other hand, also have 10 points but have been dropped to the third spot following the loss.

After winning the toss, RR skipper Sanju Samson decided to bat first. Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal hammered a stunning half-century as RR set a 203-run target for the visitors. The 21-year-old batter smashed 77 from 43 deliveries before being dismissed by Tushar Deshpande. Notably, he emerged as the Player of the Match for his match-winning knock against the four-time IPL champions.

After winning the POTM, Jaiswal opened up about his spectacular knock against CSK. The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer stated that he was attempting to strike the ball and was aware of which way the wind was blowing, knowing that he needed to play some excellent cricketing shots. He further stated that he has been putting in the effort with the franchise and will continue to learn from senior players like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.

"I was trying to hit the ball when hitting and keeping the wind in mind. It was clear in my mind that I have to go and score runs for my team, and take the opportunities for boundaries in the powerplay and beyond," Jaiswal said in the post match presentation.

"It's just not now, I have been working hard in my practice sessions. It's a blessing to play under Sanga (Kumar Sangakkara) sir. I've been talking to Dhoni sir, and Virat bhaiya and that's helping me understand the game a lot better and deal with the pressure. It's about realizing the pressure and wanting to be there in the middle, finding ways to deal with it," he added.

RR restricts CSK 170/6 in 20 overs

RR bowlers dominated the match as CSK were restricted to 170/6 in 20 overs. Adam Zampa claimed a three-wicket haul while veteran Ravichandran Ashwin picked two and Kuldip Yadav grabbed one in the final over. Despite losing the match by 32 runs, Shivam Dube (52 off 33) made an impact for CSK, smacking a brilliant half-century.