Shortly after 10:00 AM on a rainy day that stopped play, Yashasvi Jaiswal stepped out of the dressing room and headed to the indoor practice area at the KSCA ground. Dressed in full gear, the young left-hander was ready for some practice.
Even as his lean six-foot frame disappeared behind the sight screen and into the facility, it was easy to understand what Rohit Sharma, India's captain, had said about him just the day before. "The guy has real talent," Rohit said. "He has the game to succeed in all kinds of conditions. Even though he's new to international cricket, he's shown he has everything needed to do well."
When Jaiswal made his Test debut in the West Indies in July 2023, he was already known for his skills in white-ball cricket. Although he had scored a lot of runs in domestic red-ball matches, his reputation as a one-day player was stronger. But that's no longer the case. In just a short time, he's become one of the best Test openers around.
Jaiswal's ability to handle the new ball, punish bad deliveries, and keep the scoreboard ticking are valuable in today's game. Since his debut, only three openers have scored more runs than him, but his average is the highest. He's also quick to score; among left-handed openers who've played at least 10 Tests, only Ben Duckett has a higher strike rate since the 2000s.
Rohit, who has opened alongside Jaiswal in all of his 11 Test matches, praised his attacking style. "In his short career, he's already shown what he's capable of," Rohit said. "We've found a great player. Being a left-hander and an aggressive batter is a big plus for our team."
Rohit might not be known for his knowledge of cricket history—R Ashwin is more of an expert in that area—but he unknowingly highlighted something important. Jaiswal's rise is quite unusual in Indian cricket. Over the years, India hasn't had many left-handed openers; only 16, including part-time and specialist openers, have ever played for the men's team. Jaiswal is only the fifth to play more than 10 matches in that position. This gives the team a useful left-right combination at the top of the order. Historically, most of India's great Test openers have been right-handers, so Jaiswal is challenging nearly 90 years of tradition.
The good news, according to Rohit, is that Jaiswal is always eager to improve. "He's someone who wants to learn more about the game and about batting," Rohit said. "That's a great attitude for a young player. He's not satisfied with what he's achieved so far, which is a good sign for his future."
Jaiswal will need this mindset because bigger challenges lie ahead, particularly in Australia and England. These countries have troubled more experienced Indian openers, so it'll be interesting to see how Jaiswal adapts. After a tough series in South Africa, there were some questions about his temperament, but Rohit is confident he's ready for all types of conditions.
"What he's shown in this short time makes you believe he can do great things for the team," Rohit said. "He's played a lot of domestic cricket and Under-19 matches and has done well, which is why he's here now, playing for India."
Another impact Jaiswal has had on the team is the number of sixes they're hitting. In 2024, he leads the list of openers with the most sixes, hitting 29. To compare, the next five openers combined have only hit 30 sixes. This kind of aggressive play gives the team more options.
At 22, Jaiswal is still young, and he'll need to avoid the "sophomore slump" that many players face. But if he can get through that, he could be a long-term game-changer for Indian cricket.
- Tags:
- Sports
0 Comments:
Leave a Reply