Rajasthan Royals Yashasvi Jaiswal opener stormed back to his prime with a timely century against the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League on Monday.
Previously, Jaiswal, who partnered with India's captain Rohit Sharma in the home T20 series against Afghanistan, had been grappling with a lack of runs in the IPL, with his highest score being 39 in his first seven matches.
This dry spell led former India captain Sourav Ganguly to propose that Virat Kohli, the leading scorer in the IPL, should open with Rohit at the World Cup.
However, Jaiswal silenced doubts about his capabilities with an unbeaten 104 off 60 balls on Monday.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the crease from the get-go, ensuring I kept my eye on the ball and executed my shots," remarked the 22-year-old following Rajasthan's comprehensive victory, securing their position at the top of the table.
Reflecting on his resurgence, Jaiswal expressed gratitude towards Rajasthan's cricket director Kumar Sangakkara and captain Sanju Samson for their unwavering support during his lean patch.
The stylish left-hander unleashed seven sixes and nine fours as Rajasthan comfortably chased down the 180-run target with eight balls to spare, losing just one wicket.
Meanwhile, Mumbai's opener Rohit Sharma struggled, managing just six runs as the five-time champions suffered their fifth defeat in eight matches.
Despite the loss, the Indian skipper was quick to acknowledge Jaiswal's brilliance post-match.
Rajasthan's skipper Samson emphasised his confidence in Jaiswal's ability to bounce back. "We were confident that his return to form was imminent," stated Samson, who is also vying for the role of India's wicketkeeper in the forthcoming World Cup in the West Indies and the United States.
"The way he approached the powerplay, exhibiting calmness and composure, assured us that he had things under control. We could see from the dugout that he was playing some exquisite cricketing shots, and we are genuinely thrilled for him."
