Yashasvi Jaiswal Says First Year in International Cricket Has Been 'Nice and Challenging'

Yashasvi Jaiswal termed his stint with the India national cricket team over the last year or so as ‘nice and challenging’ ahead of the start of play on day three of the fourth Test of the five-match series at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi on Sunday.

“It’s been nice and challenging as well. I’ve been trying to learn how to play on different wickets and make sure that I stay for a long time. It’s been one year with the Indian team, have had a lot of talk with Rahul sir and Rohit bhai on how to change my mindset, I’m trying to keep in mind what my team needs. I want to play according to the situation, I’m preparing the same during the net sessions, speaking with the seniors,” Jaiswal said on broadcaster JioCinema.

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After Rohit Sharma departed cheaply, Jaiswal showed why he is India’s latest run machine when he overcame some anxious moments to post his fourth fifty-plus score in this series.

Jaiswal soared past the 600-run mark in a mere seven innings across four Tests. The young sensation has so far amassed a staggering 618 runs in this series against England, boasting an impressive average of 103 and a formidable strike rate of 78.32, hitting two centuries and two half-centuries.

Jaiswal joined an illustrious league of Indian legends that includes Sunil Gavaskar (1971, 1978), Virat Kohli (2014, 2016, 2017), Dilip Sardesai (1971), and Rahul Dravid (2002), who have previously breached the 600-run mark in a Test series. With the tantalizing prospect of surpassing Gavaskar’s legendary record of 774 runs against West Indies in 1971, Jaiswal stands on the brink of rewriting the history books, a mere 156 runs away from etching his name in cricketing folklore.

On the second day of the Ranchi Test, Jaiswal showcased his audacious stroke play by eclipsing Virender Sehwag’s record for the most Test sixes by an Indian batter in a calendar year, unleashing an impressive tally of 23 sixes in just five matches in 2024. He is just 66 runs shy of the illustrious 1000-run milestone in Test cricket, having scored 934 runs at an average of 71.84.

Jaiswal now finds himself in the esteemed company of cricketing luminaries such as Sir Don Bradman, Sir Garfield Sobers, Graeme Smith, George Headley and Neil Harvey, who have all amassed over 600 runs in a Test series before turning 23.

The 22-year-old has scored 618 runs with an average of 103 in this series. He looked for another big one before being done in by low bounce.

“I didn’t find a lot of difficulties (on this pitch), I was looking to think as to how I was going to bat, initially there was a lot of spin, so I was looking to get my bat in front of my pad, keep rotating the strike and find the boundaries,” Yashasvi Jaiswal said.

“Looking forward to today, we’ll enjoy the game and give our best,” he added.

(With inputs from Agencies)