Yashasvi Jaiswal Heroics Steer India to Commanding 336/6 on Day 1 of Second Test
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a career-defining innings, scoring an unbeaten 179, to power India to a commanding 336 for six on day one of the second Test against England on Friday.
The 22-year-old, playing only his sixth Test, stood tall amidst a shaky top order, smashing five sixes and 17 fours in a marathon knock that lasted 257 balls. With other frontline batsmen failing to capitalize on good starts, Jaiswal displayed maturity and aggression, holding the innings together and putting India in a dominant position.
England skipper Rohit Sharma opted to bat first, but the decision backfired as the visitors quickly found themselves under pressure. Debutant off-spinner Shoaib Bashir removed Sharma cheaply, while veteran James Anderson accounted for the in-form Shubman Gill.
However, Jaiswal, along with Shreyas Iyer, steadied the ship with a 90-run stand. Iyer fell after his second Test hundred, but Jaiswal continued his onslaught, finding another able partner in Ravichandran Ashwin (5*).
Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, India managed to pile on the runs thanks to Jaiswal’s heroics. Rajat Patidar (32), Axar Patel (27), and Srikar Bharat (17) chipped in with useful contributions before stumps were drawn.
India still holds the upper hand in the game, but some of their batsmen will be regretting their dismissals. They squandered their wickets on a good batting surface, most of them after getting decent starts.
With the exception of Yashasvi Jaiswal’s outstanding innings, there weren’t many significant batting contributions from the other batsmen. Shoaib Bashir made a fantastic debut, claiming two crucial wickets. James Anderson, as always, aged like fine wine, finishing his 17 overs with an economical average of 1.8 runs per over.
“I wanted to play it session by session. When they were bowling well, I just wanted to get through that spell,” said Jaiswal.
Rohit Sharma’s decision to bat left England with the daunting task of batting fourth on a wicket, which promises runs on the first couple of days before spinners start dictating terms.
With a substantial first-innings lead in hand, India will look to capitalize on their strong position and put further pressure on England on day two. The visitors, on the other hand, will need early breakthroughs to stage a comeback in the match.
