Tejasvi Jaiswal, the elder brother of Indian batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal, once gave up his dream of becoming a cricketer due to financial constraints. But on December 6, 2025, life closed for him when he hit his maiden T20 half-century while playing for Tripura in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
This moment was more than a professional milestone. It marked his return to the game he once gave up so his family could survive and his younger brother could continue his dream. In an interview with Sportsstar, Tejasvi recounted his journey, which he described as one full of hope and sacrifices that eventually brought him back to cricket.
Years ago, when the Jaiswal family was facing financial problems, Tejasvi left the sport and moved to Delhi to work as a salesman. His income supported the family and allowed Yashasvi to continue his training in Bombay. While Yashasvi’s rise through the tough years became widely known, Tejasvi’s struggle remained quieter, shaped by long days of work and the belief that one day he would play cricket again.
“When I left for work, my family was not in good shape financially. But even when I was working, my mind was not much in it. After a few days, I settled into it because it was a compulsion, our necessity. Still, there was always the hope that when Yashasvi came through, I would start playing cricket again,” said Tejasvi after Tripura’s thrilling win against S Alipuray Superphy in Tropura in S Aliqay Musephy Oversh. Ahmedabad.
“I never thought I wouldn’t be able to play. I always had it in my head that I would definitely play one day. And I told my brother the same thing. He supported me a lot when he made it. It’s because of him that I can play today. He is my everything.”
Tejasvi’s return to cricket was slow and full of setbacks. In 2019, Yashasvi helped arrange his move to Tripura, one of the smaller teams in Indian domestic cricket.
After a short stint, Tejasvi returned to Delhi to try to play full time, but the pandemic struck soon after. Everything suddenly stopped. Cricket, work and even his hopes had to be reassessed.
In 2021, almost seven years after he left the sport, he quit his job to refocus on cricket.
His breakthrough came unexpectedly. “Fortunately, when IPL 2021 was suspended, the Rajasthan Royals camp needed a bowler for training and I went there with my brother. My cricket really started there.”
Long hours as a medium pace net player helped him rebuild his skills and confidence. They also forced him to improve his fitness. “I had to train harder because I weighed a lot at the time,” he said.
In December 2025, Tejasvi, 28, scored his first T20 fifty for Tripura on the same day that Yashasvi scored his first ODI century for India. Their father was thrilled to see both his sons playing cricket again. After their shift, the brothers talked on the phone. Yashasvi’s message was simple and full of warmth: “Enjoy the opportunity.”
Like his younger brother, Tejasvi is left-handed. Every time he steps out to bat, he carries with him not only his own experience, but years of watching Yashasvi work hard, learn and grow.
“Obviously I learn from him. He’s an India player. He teaches me how to bat and I like that. He has a great mindset. He says, ‘No matter what happens, never give up.’ So I think the same.”
Today, Tejasvi looks at his younger brother with pride and acceptance of the decision he made years ago. He never called this election a sacrifice. For him, they were a responsibility born of love.
“It’s my responsibility, not a sacrifice. Our family’s financial situation was not good at that time and he was doing very well. He was playing really, really good cricket at that time. We both went to play in Mumbai, but he scored a lot of runs and I felt he would do well. I could see him making it from childhood.”
Years later, the circle has finally closed. The boy who once watched his younger brother’s rise from afar is now back on the field as a professional cricketer. And with every step he carries the words that guided him through the most difficult years of his life. Never let me down.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
December 10, 2025
