Ranji Trophy: Maiden century will 'forever be memorable,' says Mumbai's Yashasvi Jaiswal

Mumbai's opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal has said that his maiden First-Class hundred, which he scored earlier this week, will "forever be memorable".

Jaiswal, opening Mumbai's innings with Prithvi Shaw, scored 103 off 150 balls in his side's 725-run victory over Uttarakhand in the quarter-final 2 of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2021-22. After being picked in the playing XI after three long years, Jaiswal produced an impressive performance. He struck 10 fours and two sixes in his knock as he put up 100-plus runs with Shaw in Mumbai's second innings.

Speaking in a recent interview, Jaiswal, who made his First-Class debut in 2019, said that he is glad that his hard work is finally paying off.

"It matters a lot to me. I will always remember my first century, it will forever be memorable. It's good for my morale and mindset. All the hard work is paying off. It's been almost four years since I played a Ranji match. Then came the Under-19 World Cup, and COVID came. Didn't get a chance in the first three games," said Jaiswal, according to Sportstar.

Reacting to Mumbai skipper Shaw's aggressive approach, Jaiswal said it only helped him settle and take his time. "He was scoring briskly so I could take my time," the 20-year-old Jaiswal added.

Before this, Jaiswal was a part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) side that reached the final in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, only to lose to first-time winners Gujarat Titans (GT). After a poor start, Jaiswal was dropped by RR just three games into the campaign, but he made full use of the opportunity when he was picked up. Jaiswal said the key to his comeback with the bat was staying motivated.

"Even in the IPL, it was the same. I played the first three games and then I was out for the next seven. Did well on my comeback. All this time, I kept myself motivated. These experiences are a part of my learning. I believe in myself, I am confident about my abilities," he said.

Jaiswal, who has been at RR since 2020, finished the 2022 edition with 258 runs in 10 games at an average of 25.80 and strike rate of 132.99. He registered two half-centuries in IPL 2022.

Mumbai will take on Uttar Pradesh in the semi-final at the Just Cricket Academy Ground, Bengaluru, starting from June 14.