Played a lot of dot balls: Wasim Jaffer reflects on Yashasvi Jaiswal's innings against PBKS

He felt that Jaiswal was not finding his form even after scoring a fifty; he was trying to hit the ball really hard.

"When he [Jaiswal] performs, he will be winning the games except that it was the slowest half-century of Jaiswal's IPL career, off 40 balls, and it didn't look like he was finding his form, he was still looking to hit the ball really hard," Wasim Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo's Timeout show. He reflected on Jaiswal's batting in his 45-ball 67, which included five sixes and three fours but also 12 dot balls; he indicated a need for more consistency as he settles into IPL 2025.

"He hit five sixes and three fours, so that's a high boundary rate, but he still played a lot of dot balls. There were 12 dot balls in Jaiswal's 45-ball 67. Perhaps not a massive number for someone still looking to settle into IPL 2025, " he added.

Notably, he also scored the fastest fifty in the IPL in just 13 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders back in 2023. His strike rate in T20 internationals is 164.31 and 149.30 in the IPL. His strike rate in T20I is the ninth highest and third highest by an Indian batter. In the previous two IPL editions, Jaiswal's strike rate was over 155. His best season came in 2023, when he scored 625 runs with a strike rate of 163.

Jaiswals's only hundred in International cricket came against Nepal, where he crossed the 100-run mark in 49 balls. His maiden IPL century came against Mumbai Indians, where he scored 124 runs in just 62 balls with a strike rate of 200.00.

Mark Boucher also spoke about Jaiswal's innings. He said he reached fifty after facing close to 40 balls, but then dramatically increased his strike rate in the successive five balls, scoring 17 runs, including a six off the next ball after reaching fifty.

"Getting to fifty, I think he faced close to 40 balls. Then the next five balls after that, he was at an incredible strike rate, referring to the 17 he scored in the five balls he lasted after getting to the landmark - he hit a six the ball after he got to fifty, and went 1, 6, 4 off the next three before getting out." Mark Boucher said on ESPNcricinfo's Timeout Show.

Boucher believed Jaiswal was on the verge of a match-winning inning, having just needed a few more overs to capitalize on his momentum. He suggested that Jaiswal would be disappointed with his dismissal as he was poised to play a crucial role in the match.

"It's almost like he just needed to be there for another two or three overs in order for him to have that match-winning inning that we all know he is very capable of and has done in the past. He'll be quite disappointed to get out when he actually gets out. It was at that point where it was the tipping edge for him [to play] a very significant knock," he added.

A half-century by Yashasvi Jaiswal and top bowling spells from Jofra Archer, Sandeep Sharma and Maheesh Theekshana helped RR secure a 50-run win over PBKS in their IPL clash at Mullanpur on Saturday. Jaiswal scored his first fifty of the season after a poor start with 1, 29 and 4 with the bat before this game. His innings of 67 (45) included three fours and five sixes, striking at 148.89.