Jaipur love-in turns into security nightmare for Mumbai’s Yashasvi Jaiswal

The evening air at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium crackled with excitement on Saturday as soon as play ended. A sea of fans swarmed outside the Mumbai dressing room — all waiting for one man: Yashasvi Jaiswal.

He may have been wearing Mumbai colours, but in Jaipur, Jaiswal is very much the local hero. Years of donning Rajasthan Royals’ pink have earned him the title of ‘homeboy’, and his return to the venue — this time for a Ranji Trophy clash — drew hundreds of eager supporters. Even after his dismissal by Aniket Choudhary before lunch, they stayed put, hoping for a glimpse or a selfie with their beloved “Yash  bhaiya.”

With no exit in sight, Jaiswal (3rd from left) dashed towards the north gate, weaving through bushes, only to find another group of fans waiting there too.
| Photo Credit:
Shayan Acharya

As the shadows lengthened and security thinned, the crowd thickened. When Jaiswal finally stepped out, phones went up and voices rose — “Yash  bhaiya, ek picture!” The India batter smiled and obliged, but within minutes, the mob swelled. The Mumbai team management quickly decided to move him out through another exit.

While Shardul Thakur and Ajinkya Rahane boarded the team bus to chants of “Yashasvi! Yashasvi!”, Jaiswal slipped away quietly towards the RCA Academy end, flanked by bowling coach Dhawal Kulkarni and manager Bhushan Patil. But when they reached the alternate gate, they found it locked — the staffer in-charge had already called it a day.

READ | Jaiswal only bright spot as Rajasthan bundles out Mumbai on Day 1

Word spread fast. Fans came sprinting from the main entrance with voices echoing through the darkening corridors of the stadium. With no exit in sight, the trio made a dash towards the north gate, weaving through bushes and back alleys, only to find another group of fans waiting there too.

Jaiswal was finally whisked away in a car but not before obliging for more hurried selfies.
| Photo Credit:
Shayan Acharya

As the clock ticked past six, Jaiswal finally turned back, sprinting towards the dressing room where a car stood ready. A bunch of over-enthusiastic fans also ran along from the adjacent Sports Council building. But this time, with help from local volunteers, he managed to slip inside — not before posing for a few more hurried selfies.

As the car rolled out through the gates, chants followed him into the Jaipur night — “ Humara bhai kaisa ho, Yash bhaiya jaisa ho…” It could have turned into a security nightmare, but Jaiswal escaped the stadium’s maze unscathed.

Published on Nov 01, 2025