Yashasvi Jaiswal had a half-century in each of his five home Tests in his short career. On Thursday, he kept this unique achievement intact with another high-quality innings which held the innings together on the opening day of the Chennai Test.

While the other top-order batters floundered, Jaiswal dug in on a wicket which was damp and offered lateral movement.

Bangladesh pacer Hasan Mahmud made the most of the conditions but Jaiswal didn’t offer any chances. He stood outside his crease to negate the swing and seam movement and showed caution and maturity in tackling Bangladesh’s attack.

He survived the testing phase displaying right technique and in the process hit another Test fifty, the fifth of his career — 56 off 118 balls at a strike rate of less than 50.

“It was amazing to go out there and play in these conditions. It will make me strong and I will learn from it as to how to play in all these conditions and how to plan my innings,” Jaiswal said at the news conference after the first day’s play.

“I try to bat according to the requirements of my team and keep changing my game accordingly. If the wicket falls initially, how can I bat? When the runs are coming, how can I bat?” Jaiswal seemed to search for such answers during the course of his innings.

“Initially, I think the ball was moving a bit and seaming a bit and the wicket was a bit down. So, we took our time. But if you see in the last session, we scored quite well and I think we are in a good position at the moment,” he said.

India will resume their innings at 339 for 6 with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja looking to add to the tally.

The innings is sure to put him in the right frame of mind ahead of the tougher battles in Australia during the five-Test series. It will be a tough battle against the likes of Pat
Cummins and Mitchell Starc but Bangladesh’s pace attack provided him with a fitting dress rehearsal.