Yashasvi Jaiswal Shines with 67 Runs as Rajasthan Royals Beat Punjab Kings, but Concerns Over Form Persist

Jaiswal's innings, though match-winning, was far from flawless. He reached his half-century off 40 balls, the slowest of his IPL career so far. Despite hitting five sixes and three fours, Jaiswal’s innings was marked by a high number of dot balls. As former cricketer Wasim Jaffer pointed out on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show, “It didn’t look like he was finding his form.” Jaiswal faced 12 dot balls during his 45-ball 67, which some believe is indicative of a player still trying to settle into the 2025 season.

Jaffer also mentioned that Jaiswal seemed to be trying too hard, looking to hit the ball hard but still struggling to find his rhythm. Despite the slow start, the young opener was explosive after reaching his half-century, scoring 17 runs off the next five balls, including a six and a four. RR's head coach, Mark Boucher, echoed Jaffer's sentiments, stating that Jaiswal's innings could have been a match-winning one had he stayed at the crease a little longer.

“He needed just another two or three overs to make it a very significant knock. It’s a pity he got out when he did,” Boucher said.

The performance came at a crucial time for Jaiswal, who had struggled for runs in the previous few matches, with scores of 1, 29, and 4 before this game. Furthermore, his recent move from Mumbai to Goa in the domestic circuit had sparked debates about his career choices.

Jaiswal’s decision to switch states for his domestic career surprised many, including Jaffer, who expressed his shock at the move. “For somebody like him, he should be playing for India in all three formats. That should be his focus,” Jaffer stated, criticizing Jaiswal for choosing Goa, a team just promoted to the elite Ranji Trophy group.

The 23-year-old had long been a fixture in Mumbai's domestic cricket setup, playing from the Under-14s level up to senior cricket, and Jaffer couldn’t understand why he’d leave such an established platform. Speculation around potential differences with Mumbai's team management had also been rumored as a possible reason for his departure, but those reports remain unconfirmed.

Despite the concerns over his domestic cricket choices, Jaffer acknowledged the importance of Jaiswal’s runs for RR. “He’s looking a little bit off-color, trying too hard, but runs from him are very, very vital for Rajasthan Royals,” Jaffer noted.

With Jaiswal’s continued struggles with consistency and his recent decision to leave Mumbai, the young opener’s future choices and form will remain under close scrutiny in the coming weeks of IPL 2025. Nonetheless, his contribution to RR’s win against PBKS was a much-needed positive for both the player and the team.