'Be Grateful': How Rohit Convinced Jaiswal

'Rohit told Yashasvi it was because of Mumbai cricket that he went on to play for India.'

Rohit Sharma with Yashasvi Jaiswal

IMAGE: Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Photograph: BCCI

Yashasvi Jaiswal stunned the Mumbai cricketing fraternity in April when he requested a no objection certificate from the Mumbai Cricket Association to play for Goa in the upcoming domestic season, citing personal reasons.

A month later Jaiswal reversed his decision, e-mailing the MCA to withdraw his request.

'I had some family plans in shifting to Goa which for now has been curtailed,' he said.

'I the undersigned would request your goodself to consider my request in withdrawing my NOC given to me as I had some family plans in shifting to Goa which for now has been curtailed!' Jaiswal said in his email to the MCA.

It has now emerged that Rohit Sharma was responsible for Jaiswal's change of heart.

'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 the Ranji Trophy a record 42 times,' MCA President Ajinkya Naik told The Times Of India on Thursday.

Jaiswal, 23, rose through the ranks in Mumbai cricket despite numerous hardships -- living in tents at the Azad Maidan and selling street food to sustain himself after moving from Uttar Pradesh aged 10.

'Rohit told Yashasvi that he must not forget that it was because of Mumbai cricket he got a platform and went on to play for India, and he must be greatful for the city for that.'

'It was here in Mumbai that he started playing cricket on the maidans, and then was picked for all the age group teams of Mumbai,' Naik added.

'After discussing this with Rohit and a few other stalwarts who represented India and Mumbai, Jaiswal sent an e-mail to us requesting us to withdraw his no objection certificate application to shift to Goa. We approved his request.'

Rohit's inspiration proved crucial to Jaiswal on the field as well. After hitting a match-winning century against England in the second innings of the Oval Test, the left-hander revealed that Rohit played a role in calming him down after a shaky start as he survived three dropped catches to stroke his fourth century in overseas Test for India.

'I saw Rohit bhai and said hi. He gave me the message to keep playing,' Jaiswal said after the end of the third day of the fifth and final Test.