Yashasvi Jaiswal’s initial decision to move from Mumbai to Goa for the upcoming domestic season came as a surprise to many. However, the young batter soon changed his mind and requested the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to revoke his No Objection Certificate (NOC), expressing his desire to continue representing Mumbai in the 2025–2026 domestic season. It has now come to public light that India’s ODI captain Rohit Sharma played a key role in influencing Jaiswal’s decision to stay.
MCA President Ajinkya Naik confirmed Rohit’s involvement, revealing that the senior cricketer reminded Jaiswal of the deep-rooted legacy and pride associated with Mumbai cricket. According to Naik, Rohit made Jaiswal reflect on how Mumbai cricket had been instrumental in shaping his career and offering him a stage to showcase his abilities.
Rohit reminded Jaiswal of state’s rich legacy and then Jaiswal stayed.
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“Rohit asked Yashasvi to stay on in Mumbai at this stage of his career. He explained to Yashasvi that there was a lot of pride and prestige in playing for a team like Mumbai which has won 42 Ranji titles. Rohit also told Yashasvi that he must not forget that it was Mumbai Cricket that he got a platform to show his talent and must be grateful to the city for that,” Naik told the Mumbai Mirror.
Rohit Sharma also interacted with Jaiswal during Day 3 of the Oval Test against England, where the youngster went on to score a brilliant century in the second innings. Jaiswal recalled that brief but impactful moment. “I saw Rohit bhai and I said hi to him. Unhone mujhe yehi message diya ki khelte rehna (He gave me a message to bat on), that was it,” he told reporters after Stumps.
Jaiswal further spoke about the influence senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have had on his development. He said their guidance and approach to Test cricket helped him improve not just as a player but as a person.
“I keep getting all these messages and playing with the seniors for as long as I have, like Rohit bhai, Virat bhai, helped me grow as a person a lot. Seeing what they have done in Test cricket, how they prepared themselves, it really helped me especially to improve. Also playing with all my mates now, KL (Rahul) bhai the way we chat, (Shubman) Gill bhai, how we think about the game, it’s very interesting and I am really enjoying it.”
Jaiswal had a stellar series in England, amassing 411 runs, including two centuries, further solidifying his position as one of India’s most promising young batters. While Jaiswal is yet to debut in ODI, his performance is tempting for selectors. If reports regarding Rohit Sharma are true then in 2027 World cup the disciple can replace the master.
