Youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal had a spectacular start in international cricket by scoring a fantastic century against the West Indies in the first Test in Dominica. The 21-year-old produced a magnificent 171 (387), laced with 16 fours and a six, and shared a massive 229-run opening wicket partnership with captain Rohit Sharma.
Rahul Dravid, the head coach of the Indian team, was pleased with Jaiswal’s debut performance and congratulated him for managing his innings well. Notably, he became the fourth consecutive batter from Mumbai and the 17th player from India to achieve a hundred on Test debut.
The coach said, “I was very pleased to see that he was willing to play an attacking game, but also buckle down and be defensive and work hard for his runs when required.” Nothing as a coach makes you happier than that, according to a story in Cricket Addictor citing Dravid.
Dravid continued by saying that as young players like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal play more cricket and teams get to know them better, they would face stiffer challenges.
“As they play more cricket, I’m sure Jaiswal and Gill will encounter new, more difficult problems. They’ll start getting to know them better in teams.
The key for Yashasvi Jaiswal in this game is to counteract the tactics and plans that West Indies will employ,” he continued.
In his first appearance after being overlooked for the WTC final, Ashwin excelled.
Along with Jaiswal, Ravichandran Ashwin, an off-spinner who was rejoining the team after not being selected for the World Test Championship XI, too had a standout Test match. In the course of the game, the 36-year-old scored 12/131 (5/60 and 7/71). Notably, it was his sixth time picking up a five-wicket haul in each of the game’s innings and his eighth ten-wicket haul of his career.
The second Test between the two teams will begin on Thursday, July 20 at Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad. India, who currently leads the series 1-0, would be eager to claim an absolute victory.
India
