Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered a fiery response to Australian pacer Mitchell Starc during Day 2 of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Saturday. The left-hander, dismissed for a duck by Starc in the first innings, sledged the bowler in the second innings, telling him, “It’s coming too slow,” as Starc bowled at speeds of 140 km/h.
Jaiswal’s confident reply came during a brief verbal exchange with Starc, who had earlier engaged in words with Indian pacer Harshit Rana. The left-arm bowler had also dismissed Jaiswal for naught in the first essay but found the Indian opener in a different mood in the second innings.
Read Also | Mohammed Siraj, Marnus Labuschagne Engage in Heated Moment During IND vs AUS BGT 2024-25 1st Test (Watch Video)
The 21-year-old left-hander, one of India’s most consistent batters in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, impressed with his composed yet aggressive approach. Jaiswal slammed a boundary off Starc to deep square leg and followed it with an upper cut off Josh Hazlewood. At tea, Jaiswal was unbeaten on 42 from 88 balls, while KL Rahul held steady at 34 off 70 deliveries, guiding India to 84 without loss and extending the lead to 130 runs.
Earlier in the day, stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul helped India bowl out Australia for 104, securing a 46-run first-innings lead. Harshit Rana and Mohammed Siraj chipped in with three and two wickets, respectively. Mitchell Starc top-scored for the hosts with 26 off 112 balls.
In their first innings, India managed 150 runs, with Nitish Kumar Reddy (41), Rishabh Pant (37), and KL Rahul (26) making notable contributions. Josh Hazlewood was the standout bowler for Australia, taking four wickets, while Starc, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Marsh claimed two each.
As play resumed after tea, India aimed to build a substantial lead and put pressure on the hosts. With Jaiswal and Rahul’s partnership thriving, India looked poised to capitalize on their strong position in the series opener.
Read Also | “It Is Like Taking a Bullet for Your Country”: Debutant Nitish Reddy Reveals Gambhir’s Advice on Facing Bouncers in IND vs AUS Test (Watch Video)
