‘Determined’. It’s a word batting coach Shitanshu Kotak used more than once on Friday evening while referencing another daddy hundred by Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The left-handed opener had thrown it away with the bowling at his mercy in the first Test last week, attempting to cut a ball from Jayden Seales that was too close to him and only managing a nick to the wicketkeeper. As he threw his head back in dismay and trudged back to the pavilion, it was evident that he was hurting at the loose stroke.
Runs keep rolling
In the two practice sessions ahead of the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Jaiswal’s preparation was long and methodical. One could sense that a big one was on the cards and he didn’t disappoint on Day One, powering India to a position of strength as West Indies endured another draining day at the office.
In his two and a half years in Test cricket, Jaiswal has showcased the admirable trait of not being satisfied easily, and it was no surprise that he went past 150 for the fifth time — his unbeaten 173 is his seventh Test century — to muscle India to 318-2 after Shubman Gill won his first toss in his seventh outing as captain.
Sai Sudharsan during his 87 on Friday. Pic/AFP
Confidence-boosting innings
While Jaiswal was the undisputed star, support came from another left-hander desperately needing runs for his own confidence, more than anything else. The Indian management group rates Sai Sudharsan highly, but after four Tests, he only averaged 21. His 87 couldn’t have come at a more opportune time, though he will rue not playing forward to a reasonably full-length ball from Jomel Warrican that broke back and trapped him in front.
Warrican, the left-arm spinner, was the only successful bowler; in the first session, he dismissed an unusually aggressive KL Rahul with a dream delivery that was tossed up. Rahul had already used his feet once to cart him over long-on. Attempting to reprise the stroke, the right-hander was stunned to see the ball turn sharply on pitching. Defeated in the air and off the surface, he was stumped by a mile by Tevin Imlach, one of two changes to the side crushed inside three days in Ahmedabad.
Jaiswal started cautiously, giving the first hour and a bit to the bowlers like a traditional Test opener, then playing some of the most wonderful strokes to all parts of the ground. Boundaries came at a canter with more time spent at the crease, until he reined himself in with the ball going soft. While he was equally felicitous off front foot and back, Sudharsan primarily scored off the back foot, either through cuts and sweeps and whips or through superbly timed strokes in front of the stumps on both sides.
07
No. of Test centuries by Yashasvi Jaiswal, 23. Only three players — Don Bradman (12), Sachin Tendulkar (11) and Garfield Sobers (nine) had smashed more tons before turning 24
Brief scores
India 318-2 (Y Jaiswal 173*, S Sudharsan 87, KL Rahul 38; J Warrican 2-60) vs West Indies