IPL 2020 Auction: From selling pani-puris to becoming crorepati, 17-year-old Yashasvi Jaiswal bags mega contract

From selling pani-puris to make ends meet to becoming a crorepati overnight, Under-19 Indian cricketer Yashasvi Jaiswal has come a long way.

The teenage cricketer has set a mark in the domestic circuit and there has never been doubt regarding his talent. He recently was included in India's squad for the U-19 Cricket World Cup, which is scheduled to be played next year in South Africa.

When Jaiswal's name came up in the seventh set at the 2020 IPL Auction, the silence in the room gave an impression that no franchise was interested despite the player's base price being as low as INR 20 lakh.

It was three-time champions Mumbai Indians who broke the ice by starting the bid. They were joined by Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders before former winners, Rajasthan Royals secured the Mumbai cricketer for INR 2.40 crore.

The teenager comes from a very humble background. His father is an owner of a small hardware store in Bhadohi (Uttar Pradesh) and Jaiswal first came to Mumbai as an 11-year-old kid with a hope of making a living through cricket.

There were hard times when he used to live in a tent adjacent to the Muslim United Sports Club ground and took jobs like selling pani-puri and fruits at Azad Maidan to sustain himself.

After living in tents for three years, Jaiswal's cricketing talent was noticed in 2013 by Jwala Singh, who ran a cricket academy in Santacruz. He provided Jaiswal with a place to stay, began to train him before finally becoming his legal guardian.

In 2015, Jaiswal produced a historic all-around performance where he smashed an unbeaten 319 and recorded bowling figures of 13 for 99 in the Giles Shield Cricket Tournament in Mumbai. By doing so, he clinched the record for the highest score and most wickets in a match in a school-level tournament.

In the ongoing season, he has been on fire for his domestic side, Mumbai. He hammered 203 off 154 balls in an innings during the prestigious Vijay Hazare Trophy. His knock, that was inclusive of 12 sixes and 17 fours, handed him a special record as he became the youngest batsman to hit a double hundred in List A cricket.