Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered a phenomenal performance in the second Test against England, registering his maiden double-century at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The young opener became the first Indian since Mayank Agarwal (November 2019) to breach the double-ton mark in the longest format of the game.
A naturally attacking player, Jaiswal showed great composure despite wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end, reaching his 200 off 277 balls. Jaiswal became the third-youngest Indian after Sunil Gavaskar and Vinod Kambli to reach the milestone, and is also the first left-handed batter since Gautam Gambhir to nail a Test double in Tests; the former India opener had scored 206 against Australia in 2008.
In fact, Jaiswal now joins an elite group of Indian left-handers to have scored 200 in Test cricket; only two other left-handers from India in addition to Gambhir – Kambli (twice) and former captain Sourav Ganguly (once) – have reached the feat.
At the end of the first day’s play, Jaiswal had stressed on trusting his processes and maintaining discipline with changing pitch conditions, as well as the ball doing tricks as it turned old and rough. He also revealed that Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid kept sending him messages to keep calm and ensure he converts his hundred into a big innings.
And that’s exactly what Jaiswal did, for he had faced a bit of setback in the previous Test when he threw a strong start in the first innings.
The 22-year-old showcased remarkable confidence as he led India’s charge on Day 1, ending at an unbeaten 179 runs from 257 deliveries. His stellar performance helped India anchor to a commanding position at 336 for six, as no other batter could even score a half-century in the innings.
Jaiswal showed intent by rotating the strike on the first ball of Day 2 against Shoaib Bashir; however, he seemed uncomfortable against pacer James Anderson. On multiple occasions, Jaiswal was beaten of his outside edge by the English pacer but didn’t let his aggressive instincts take over, and decided to see off Anderson.
He broke off the shackles in the 100th over of the innings when he stepped out of the crease to smash Bashir for a six. He reached his 100 with a six, and his 200 with a boundary.
With this, the Jaiswal now boasts two centuries and as many half-centuries in just 10th Test innings.
Jaiswal showcased his versatility by seamlessly switching between ground strokes and aerial shots, exemplified by his fearless approach against left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, whom he had dispatched for a six to reach the coveted three-figure mark.
Jaiswal’s innings featured a series of elegant drives and lofted shots, particularly against spinners, showcasing his ability to dominate the bowling attack with ease. His innings was met with fervent applause from the Vizag crowd and his teammates.
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