Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 24 : Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar hailed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for his strong run in Test cricket outside Asia, pointing out how playing the ball late, decisive footwork and hunger for runs have contributed to his fine run away from home, particularly in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) conditions.
Following a brief lull at Lord's, Jaiswal was back amongst the runs during the first innings of the fourth Manchester Test, scoring 58 in 107 deliveries, in an innings which displayed control and aggression in equal parts.
Speaking about Jaiswal's evolution as a Test batter since his debut in 2023 against West Indies away from home, starting with a massive 171, JioStar expert Manjrekar said on 'Match Centre Live', "In the past, you would say some Indian batters flattered to deceive because of flat home pitches. But now, when a young batter puts together a strong Test run, you know Jaiswal has done it across tough conditions. South Africa was his first overseas tour arguably the hardest. He'll do better next time. What stands out is how late he plays the ball, how decisively he moves on the front and back foot, and his hunger for Test success."
After a successful tour to West Indies, which yielded 266 runs in three innings with a century and half-century each, Jaiswal's first big assignment was in South Africa, a land where even some of the greats have struggled. The youngster, though displaying brief flashes of promises, failed to score well, making just 50 runs in four innings with best score of 28.
Following this, Jaiswal achieved immense success at home, especially against England, slamming 712 runs in nine innings across four Tests, including two double centuries and three fifties. With 1,091 runs in 10 home Tests at an average of 60.61, including two centuries and seven fifties, Jaiswal went into the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia hailed by the Aussie media as the "heir to the throne" of legendary Virat Kohli.
During the series, his verbal and cricketing exchanges with legendary pacer Mitchell Starc gave him plenty of spotlight, taking many aback by his audacity, self-belief and confidence. He topped the run-charts for India and was the second-highest run-getter in the series with 391 runs in 10 innings at an average of 43.44, with a marathon 161 at Perth's Optus Stadium being his best effort.
Jaiswal continued his overseas success with a century on his first Test on English soil at Leeds, during the first innings itself. So far, he is the seventh-highest run-getter in the series with 291 runs in seven innings at an average of 41.57, including a century and two fifties. His best score is 101.
The young opener's record away from home is building up towards something really phenomenal, having already made 998 runs in 13 Tests and 24 innings at an average of 43.39, with three centuries and five fifties. His best score is 171.
Manjrekar also hailed KL Rahul (46 in 98 balls, with four boundaries) and Jaiswal's 94-run opening stand, lauding their "excellent defensive technique and strong minds".
"India have always struggled to find a consistent opening pair in overseas conditions, but they now seem to have one. A left-right combination that scores hundreds and looks dependable that's rare. You can expect consistency from this pair, and that is significant," he added.
Speaking on overall performance on day one, Manjrekar gave his verdict that the day belonged to India, and the batting was a statement to the critics who still maintained a belief that this young Indian line-up could only score on flatter surfaces.
"These were typical English conditions with a much-improved bowling attack Ben Stokes bowled more overs, Liam Dawson was an upgrade over Shoaib Bashir, and Jofra Archer added edge to the line-up. For India to finish at 264/4 under those conditions that is another solid batting display. Thankfully, Rishabh Pant managed to get some bat on the ball before retiring hurt. Hopefully, he will return to bat on Day 2," he concluded.
Team India ended day one at 264/4, with Shardul Thakur (19*) and Ravindra Jadeja (16*). Rishabh Pant, who retired hurt at 37 due to a foot injury, was a massive blow to India. Half-centuries from Sai Sudharsan (61 in 151 balls, with seven fours) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 in 107 balls, with 10 fours and a six) served as the biggest contributions of the day.
Skipper Stokes (2/47) stood as the pick of the bowlers, removing skipper Shubman Gill and Sudharsan.
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