‘Go out there and express yourself’

RR opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. Pic/BCCI; IPL

Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson wants his team's young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal to go out and perform with a free mindset.

RR are placed sixth in the points table after winning three out of seven games, which were played during the first half of the IPL-14 in India. The champions of the inaugural edition in 2008, will resume action against Punjab Kings in Dubai today. Jaiswal, 19, managed 66 in three IPL matches this season.

"The expectations are nothing much actually. We just give him [Jaiswal] the freedom and opportunity to just go out there and express himself," Samson said during a virtual press conference on Monday. Samson, 26, the wicketkeeper-batsman, who first played for RR when he was just 18, and is now leading the team, reckoned Jaiswal is a much improved cricketer now.

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Sanju Samson

"He [Jaiswal] is much sorted out this year, gone through with some good times. He has learnt a lot, he is a big learner, I believe. I have always seen him catching people, asking them questions. He has become a better person. We just want him to enjoy his game, score a few runs, smash a few sixes and have some fun in the middle," remarked Samson, who has scored 2,861 runs in 114 IPL matches.

Samson accepted that there are new challenges for RR in the second leg as they are without key players like Jos Buttler (254 runs in seven matches this season), Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. However, he stressed that his team are ready to face the challenge. "This time we are playing with different challenges. We played seven matches in India. We are used to challenges, we know how to tackle them as a team and as individuals. We are very excited about this challenge too," Samson signed off.

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