India’s magician with the bat, Yashasvi Jaiswal, gave away the secrets that helped him flourish in his debut Test in the demanding conditions of England on the opening day of the series opener of the five-match series at Headingley.
Team India came to play the series against England in its transition phase after three top stars of the team, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin announced their retirement from Test cricket and found a new hope for the future with the start of the series.
New Era Begins After Retirements of Senior Players
Rohit Sharma, who used to open for Team India for almost a decade and was captain of the team since 2022, announced his Test cricket retirement after his T20 retirement. Since then, the question of who will open and lead Team India in Test cricket has been raised, but this new young team has given answers to all the doubts.
Yashasvi Jaiswal showed his opening ability with his fifth Test century, and on the other hand, newly appointed captain Shubman Gill made a century in his first match as a skipper. Both the young guns have shown the world that this team is going to lead even after losing their legends.
With determination in his eyes and a sublime touch in his robust technique, Jaiswal dazzled with his rollicking 101(158) against England’s fast bowling attack, bereft of its pace wizards James Anderson and Stuart Broad. He continued his scorching form and boasted a unique feat to his name.
Jaiswal Credits KL Rahul and Pre-Series Preparation
Jaiswal has hammered Test centuries in his debut fixture in three different countries: the West Indies, Australia, and now England. The 23-year-old’s dominance on English soil stems from his ability to grasp areas to target while conversing with his experienced KL Rahul.
“KL Rahul is very experienced. I can understand a lot by talking to him — where the runs can be made and how we can carry on the innings. It was a lot of fun to play with him. He also came with India A. We did a lot of preparation and batting together, so we got a lot of ideas to understand each other,” Jaiswal said while speaking to Star Sports.
Before stepping on Headingley’s dry surface, Jaiswal refined his technique during the two unofficial Tests against England Lions, training camp in Beckenham and the intra-squad match held days before the first Test.
“We did a lot of preparation before coming here. It was a lot of fun to play, and it felt very good to bat. It was very good — I enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot,” Jaiswal added.
Mindset and Mental Approach Key to Jaiswal’s Success
The young swashbuckler outlined his approach and the way he applies himself on the field. He offers himself more time on the field while preparing himself mentally to extend his stay on the crease for as long as possible.
“I try to give myself more time to play my shots. I try to be mentally ready and aim to bat as long as possible. I try to create a good platform for the team. If I am set, I try to take it deep and play till the end. I keep telling myself to keep playing. Whatever happens, I will manage and always keep this mindset,” he said.
Jaiswal was undone by England captain Ben Stokes’ golden touch. Jaiswal went to drive the ball, but the ball seemed off the pitch to beat the outside edge and rattle the timber. Captain Shubman Gill and his deputy Rishabh Pant forged an unbeaten 138-run partnership to see off the day, ensuring India remained unscathed, at a venue where India hasn’t tasted victory since 2002.
(With Inputs From ANI)
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