Despite Rajasthan Royals’ failure to qualify for the IPL 2023 playoffs, Yashasvi Jaiswal showcased remarkable cricket skills throughout the season. The young opener emerged as RR’s highest run-scorer, currently holding the fourth position in the Orange Cap race. In 14 matches, Jaiswal scored an impressive 625 runs with an average of 48.08 and a strike rate of 163.61. His outstanding performance included a century and five half-centuries, with a highest score of 124.
Jaiswal, an uncapped player, captured everyone’s attention with his exceptional shot selection and ability to find gaps in the field. His impact was so significant that it overshadowed the out-of-form star opener, Jos Buttler. AB de Villiers, former RCB player, expressed his admiration for Jaiswal during an interview on JioCinema, naming him his favorite player of IPL 2023.
“Yashasvi Jaiswal is, by a long margin, my favorite player. He is young, possesses a wide range of shots, and displays a composed and calm temperament at the crease. I admire his ability to dominate bowlers while maintaining control,” De Villiers praised.
“He has a long way to go, and I believe Jaiswal has all the qualities to become a great player, even surpassing someone like Shubman Gill,” he added.
Although RR finished the league phase in fifth place, missing the playoffs, they secured 14 points from 14 matches, winning seven and losing seven. Jaiswal’s contribution was vital as Buttler’s form deteriorated after a promising start to the season. Buttler, the previous year’s Orange Cap winner, faced a setback in his team’s last league game against Punjab Kings, where he endured the most number of ducks in a single season (5).
Despite scoring strongly in his first four matches (54, 19, 79, and 52), Buttler struggled to replicate his early success, managing only one additional score of 50 or more (96 against Sunrisers Hyderabad). In the following ten matches, he suffered five dismissals without scoring.
