Yashasvi Jaiswal is done with his day's practice at an indoor academy in Santa Cruz, a day after returning from Vizianagaram, where he was the part of the winning Wasim Jaffer-led IOC team in Vizzy Trophy. He is neatly arranging his cricket gear in different compartments of his kit bag. The bat is struggling to get in, but he ensures it goes inside. He believes things that are meant to be in a certain place should be fitted there.

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Jaiswal, a native of Badhoi in Uttar Pradesh, has come a long way from sleeping in tents at Azad Maidan and selling pani puris to staying in five-star hotel rooms as a professional cricketer. The 17-year-old is living his dream and enjoying it too.

After shining with four half-centuries for India U-19 in the tri-series involving Bangladesh U-19 and hosts England U-19 earlier this year, the all-rounder has set his eyes on his next assignment that is India U-23 one day series against Bangladesh U-23 in Lucknow.

"Achcha lag raha hai (It is a nice feeling). I am enjoying the journey. But I haven't reached where I want to be. However, my main focus is the India U-23 series for which I am preparing right now," Jaiswal says.

"Things are going pretty well. I had a good Vizzy Trophy while playing under Wasim Jaffer. I learnt a lot from him, opened the batting against the white ball, got some wickets too. Before that, I had a good series in England too. The conditions and wickets were different. It was a good experience where I also cracked four fifties," he says.

Jaffer is one of Jaiswal's idols apart from Sachin Tendulkar. The youngster reveals he learnt quite a few things from the veteran while playing alongside him. "His tips on batting were useful too. He told me which bowler to take on or whom to respect, how to take calculative risks and other things," he says about his Vizzy Trophy experience.

Jaiswal says he also had a good time learning from Rahul Dravid, who was the mentor during the India U-19 series in England. "It's very good experience when Rahul sir is around. He is always there to guide the youngsters. He tells us simple things that gets stuck in our head," he says.

Elaborating on his experience of playing in England, he says: "It is not so easy. But the experience was great. It seams and swings a lot and you need to give time to yourself on the wicket. I got decent scores there and learnt a lot."

On the U-23 series, Jaiswal says: "It is a big opportunity to express myself. I will try to do well there and give my 100 per cent. Then, there is Vijay Hazare Trophy where I will get to play for Mumbai for which I am desperately waiting for."

With so much cricket and competition around, does he have any pressure? "Yes, there is pressure, of course. But the pressure to perform should be there. If I am struggling with in the mind, I call up my coach and mentor Jwala Sir and speak to him," he says.

Jaiswal is all thanks to his coach Jwala Singh for helping him when he was struggling to make ends meet. "I came to Mumbai to play cricket. I just want to give 100 per cent whenever I play. Life has changed a lot from when I came to the city and I am doing what I always wanted to. Jwala sir helped me whenever I struggled with different situations like injuries, food, diet, fitness. He was like an angel to my life," he says. "My parents are happy, things are well and I dream of playing for India one day," adds Jaiswal.

Jwala, who runs a private academy, says when he discovered Jaiswal he could sense that the youngster had the ability to make it big. "His story was similar to mine. He came to Mumbai for cricket just like me and the journey was similar too. He is a hard-working boy and has all the skills to succeed. It is important to have a mentor or a guide which I thought would be right to play in his career and here we are," Singh says.Jaiswal is also looking forward to the U-19 World Cup next year and he dreams of lifting the title for India. "I would love to be a part of U-19 World Cup team and help India win," he says.

Know Jaiswal

Full Name: Yashasvi Bhupendra Kumar JaiswalBorn: December 28, 2001, Suriya, UPPlayed for India U-19, MumbaiBatting style: Left-handBowling style: Right-arm leg spin

N-zone

4 No. of half centuries Yashasvi Jaiswal scored for India U-19 in the tri-series in England recently

Did you know?

Jaiswal's name is in Limca Book of Records for scoring an unbeaten 319 and registering bowling figures of 13/99 – a record for most runs and wickets in a school cricket match