During the Oval Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Yashasvi Jaiswal got a small but helpful message from Rohit Sharma, who was sitting in the stands. When Jaiswal saw him while walking out, he said hello. Rohit just smiled and told him to “keep batting” and stay focused.
Jaiswal’s Century Lifts India on Tough Oval Pitch
Jaiswal batted really well on a pitch that was not easy at all. He made 118 runs from 164 balls and hit 14 fours and 2 sixes. His innings helped India reach 396 runs in their third innings. With that, England got a big target of 374 runs to chase.
India ended the day strongly with Mohammed Siraj removing Zak Crawley late in the final over. England reached Stumps at 50/1, giving India a slight upper hand going into Day 4 of the final Test.
Jaiswal spoke about the pitch and his mindset while batting.
“The wicket was a little spicy. I was enjoying batting. I was enjoying it a lot. I expect that in England, when you play, you play on a wicket like this. Mentally, I was ready and I was just enjoying. I knew what shots I was going to play on this surface,” he said.
Rohit Sharma’s Message Made a Difference: Jaiswal
Jaiswal admitted that seeing Rohit Sharma and hearing those words gave him a boost.
“I saw Rohit bhai and said hi to him. He just told me that I should keep batting,” he shared.
Rohit was spotted in the hospitality section, watching the game unfold, and was occasionally caught on camera throughout the day.
Jaiswal further credited Rohit and other senior players for shaping his game, especially in Tests played across different conditions.
Learning from Rohit Sharma and Kohli Helped Me: Jaiswal
The young opener acknowledged how much he’s gained from India’s experienced players, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
“Different challenges of playing Tests in different countries, but learnt a lot from my seniors like Rohit bhai, Virat bhai. Now KL bhai, Gill. It’s amazing to discuss with them, and learn from their experiences,” he said.
He also revealed a change in his mental approach during the match. In earlier games, his conversations with opponents seemed to distract him, but this time, he used them to stay involved without losing focus.
Jaiswal’s Fighting Mentality in Test Cricket
Jaiswal highlighted the importance of enjoying the contest and embracing the tough moments.
“It’s all about how I fight. Always, the mentality is to go out there and fight it out and enjoy. Because in the end, (and) as I tell myself that it’s the game and we need to enjoy the game. That is very important. With that, we should have fun. I am proud of myself and all my teammates. We want fun. We want a battle in the middle. That is the fun. That’s why you play Test cricket,” he said.
