Vishal Jayswal with Virat Kohli. (Photo Credits: Vishal Jayswal/Instagram)
Gujarat all-rounder Vishal Jayswal made headlines on Friday after he scalped the priced wicket of Virat Kohli during the Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Delhi in Bengaluru. In an exclusive interaction with NewsX.com, the left-arm spinner expressed delight on picking Kohli’s wicket and shared about the conversation he had with him after the match.
“It was a great opportunity to play against Virat Kohli. Playing with such a great player is a memorable experience for me. After the match, I went to meet him and he wished me well. I requested him to sign the ball, and he agreed. It is a great memory that I will always cherish” he said.
“My plan was very simple. I decided to bowl consistently on to the stumps and stay patient throughout. I didn’t want to give him any extra room to play freely. My goal was to maintain a perfect line and length. I concentrated fully on every delivery and tried to stay calm under pressure,” he added.
The 27-year-old who hails from Nadiad in Gujarat looks up to Axar Patel as his inspiration. Talking about his cricketing journey, Jayswal added, “I started playing cricket at a very young age, and over the years I worked hard to improve my game. I began playing when I was 16. I am from Nadiad, Gujarat, and growing up, I was inspired by Axar Patel. Watching his performances and journey motivated me to take cricket seriously and believe that I could also reach this level.”
Jayswal hailed Gujarat Association for the support and explained how he prepares during the off-season. “During the off-season, we attend special training camps organized by our cricket association as well as at the district level. These camps give us an opportunity to practice and improve our skills in a structured environment. This helps me prepare thoroughly for the Ranji Trophy and other longer-format matches. The off-season is also a time to work on fitness, fine-tune my bowling and batting techniques, and stay mentally ready for the upcoming season.”
While the left-arm player got limelight after picking Kohli’s wicket, Vishal is also a decent batter and already has a fifty and hundred in First-Class cricket in just 11 matches that he has played. Asked about how he maintains a balance between his batting and bowling, Jayswal who has 40 wickets to his name in FC cricket said, “Being an all-rounder takes a lot of hard work and dedication. My mindset is always to contribute to the team, whether with the bat or the ball. I spend time improving both my batting and bowling skills so that I can perform in all situations. I also make sure to work on my fitness and mental preparation, as both are important for performing well. My goal is to be a reliable player who can help the team in any situation.”
Gujarat are now slated to play against Haryana in their next Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture on Monday in Bengaluru.
Also Read: Virat Kohli Signs Ball For Gujarat Bowler Who Dismissed Him In Vijay Hazare Trophy
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