South Africa legend Ab de Villiers, who plied his trade for Delhi Capitals (2008-2010) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (2011-2021) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has chosen his favourite player of IPL 2023 and, shockingly, it's neither his old teammate Virat Kohli nor the inevitable Orange Cap winner Shubman Gill.
De Villiers is one of the best players to grace the IPL as his pyrotechnics with the bat and his inimitable batting style won millions of hearts and massive respect across all fan bases in India.
Speaking on JioCinema, the former Proteas batsman chose Yashasvi Jaiswal as his favourite IPL player.
"Yashasvi Jaiswal for me and by a long margin for sure. He is a young player and has got all the shots in the book. He has a calm and composed temperament at the wicket and I love what he does, dominating the bowlers and always looks like he is in control. Shubman is a little bit older, I think Jaiswal's got a long way to go, and he has all the credentials to become a great."
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Yashasvi Jaiswal: Rajasthan Royals' best player and the future of India?
Although Rajasthan Royals (RR) failed to make it to the playoffs, Jaiswal was arguably their best player this season, amassing over 600 runs and showcasing a maturity beyond his years.
After a terrific start to the season, 2022 Orange Cap winner Jos Buttler suffered a drastic dip in form. However, Jaiswal stepped up big time and left almost every bowling lineup in his wake with his fluent yet authoritative strokeplay.
He also received his maiden international callup as a replacement for Ruturaj Gaikwad in the Indian squad that will take on Australia in the World Test Championship final that begins from June 7 at the Kia Oval in England.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal's IPL 2023 stats
| Innings | Runs | Average | S.R. | 50s | 100s | Best | 6s |
| 14 | 625 | 48.08 | 163.61 | 5 | 1 | 124 | 26 |
