Hands outstretched, Yashasvi Jaiswal looked skywards after reaching the three-figure mark, his gesture seeped in joy and relief. The celebration, much like Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham, was a statement of his emotions.
The 22-year-old was among the batters criticised for poor shot selection after being well set and lacking in application in Hyderabad, where India lost to give England a 1-0 lead in this five-match series. However, on Day I of the second Test here at the ACA-VDCA Stadium, Jaiswal (179 batting) produced an innings of quality and assertion, along with application, patience and intent that is required to play a long innings. His second Test ton helped India to 336/6 at stumps.
Yes, except for a few deliveries keeping low, the pitch had nothing much for bowlers on the opening day. And India, with a depleted batting line-up, were certainly fortunate to win the toss. But still, credit needs to be given where it’s due and Jaiswal deserves it all.
The batsmen having more experience than him in the current line-up, including captain Rohit Sharma, didn’t contribute much. Shubman Gill, who looked steady initially, poked needlessly at a ball that nibbled away after James Anderson set him up with a few deliveries that shaped in. Shreyas Iyer, who too was well set, under-edged a Tom Hartley delivery that kept low.
At 179/3 then, India could well have lost their way. But herein lies the difference that Jaiswal went on to make. Cashing in on anything loose and ill-directed wasn’t the only feature of his innings. Judging which ball to block and which one to let go has also stood out so far in his unbeaten 257-ball knock.
Anderson bowled a probing spell to Jaiswal in the day’s final session, focusing on the off-stump and outside off-stump channel. With all his experience and mastery of the reverse swing, it was an opportunity for Anderson to force the dynamic Jaiswal into committing an error.
But the unflustered Jaiswal stood firm. Keeping his attacking instincts away for a short time, he played Anderson out at that critical period which was crucial to India going past 300. That Jaiswal wasn’t as anxious as Gill and Iyer was, was also an important ingredient of his innings.
Also, unlike Gill and Iyer, there was barely any false stroke from Jaiswal right through the day. Early in the first session, he tried to sweep England’s debutant off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, which turned out to be kind of a mishit. By no way was that a catching opportunity for England though.
Precisely, Jaiswal applied himself much better on this occasion than his colleagues.
Iyer’s dismissal could well have given England another opening. But then, Jaiswal, already having reached three figures with a huge six over long-on off Hartley, was well in the groove while he was also assisted by debutant Rajat Patidar (32).
The 70 that Jaiswal put on with Patidar for the fourth wicket was crucial in laying the platform for a sizeable total which could put pressure on the Bazballers.
A batter short
The hosts brought in Kuldeep Yadav for the injured Ravindra Jadeja and pacer Mukesh Kumar for Mohammed Siraj, who was released from this Test, “keeping in mind the duration of the series and the amount of cricket he has played in recent times.”
Mukesh’s selection in the XI, and not that of off-spinner all-rounder Washington Sundar on such a flat, dry surface, is indeed inexplicable, while it also means India are a batter short in this game.
Towards the close of play on Friday, poor shots from Axar Patel and local boy KS Bharat came as unexpected gifts for Bashir and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed.
Jaiswal, however, was the biggest gift for India on Friday.
