Chandigarh, July 23 Indian openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal showed the kind of batting discipline rarely associated with the modern game — a trait that drew praise from former India cricketer Yograj Singh, who believes the team’s long-term Test success lies in grit at the top and depth at the bottom.
“Standing on the crease in a five-day match is a big thing — and that’s something today’s players must learn, especially after playing T20s and ODIs,” Yograj Singh told IANS in an interview on Wednesday. “Today, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal have shown that discipline.”
India, inserted into bat by Ben Stokes, went into lunch at 78 for no loss in 26 overs, unscathed and growing in confidence. Rahul remained unbeaten on 40 off 82 balls, calm and composed, while Jaiswal curbed his natural aggression to score 36 not out off 74 deliveries. It was the sort of session Test purists would approve of — hard-fought, patient, and attritional.
England’s bowlers found plenty of movement and bounce, but Rahul and Jaiswal left with precision and defended with clarity. “I think KL Rahul has improved a lot. His head-on coordination is very good,” Yograj observed. “And Jaiswal has corrected a major flaw — his tendency to play hook and pull shots with a falling shoulder. Today, his batting looked solid.”
Chris Woakes beat Jaiswal’s outside edge multiple times but couldn’t find the breakthrough. Jaiswal, in turn, managed to squeeze out three boundaries off Woakes, while Rahul found the fence twice. When Brydon Carse entered the attack, Rahul cut him for two boundaries, and Jaiswal pierced the gap between the third slip and gully.
Rahul also crossed the 400-run mark in the series and took on the lion’s share of Jofra Archer’s fiery spell — a significant detail given Archer had dismissed Jaiswal in both innings at Lord’s. Jaiswal got a touch of fortune when an outside edge off Archer raced past slip, and later brought the Old Trafford crowd to life by upper-cutting Ben Stokes for six.
For Yograj Singh, the early resistance from the Indian openers was not just admirable — it was emblematic of how India's red-ball blueprint should evolve. Drawing from his own playing days, he recalled a turning point in his career. “Our captain told me, ‘You shouldn’t be batting at No. 7 when you’re scoring 70s and 80s.’ I opened and made 137. Sometimes, you need to back your instincts and promote such players.”
With that in mind, Yograj believes India should consider a reshuffle in their top-order strategy, particularly with someone like Ravindra Jadeja in form. “Jadeja can be your No. 3, No. 4 or No. 5. He’s in good form — give him that responsibility.”
But the former fast bowler didn’t stop there. His most emphatic suggestion was about strengthening India’s tail, often a difference-maker in overseas conditions. “How many times have I said this? Get your tailenders — your bowlers — to bat for two hours. Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, even Bumrah — they’ve shown they can hold the bat,” Yograj said passionately. “The more all-rounders you develop, the stronger your team becomes.”
Indeed, India’s lower order has bailed the team out on many occasions in recent years. Yograj stressed that consistent practice is the key. “You need to convert your bowlers into all-rounders. Give them time with the bat — throw them on the bowling machine. Let batters bowl to bowlers. Create that culture in the nets.”
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor