Nasser Hussain mentioned that he talked about Jaiswal with Ponting, the coach of Delhi Capitals, and Dinesh Karthik, who is part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore. While it might be premature to position Yashasvi Jaiswal as an all-format to opener for India, his performance in his debut international series against the West Indies has left a noteworthy impression on the selectors.
With endorsements from figures like Ricky Ponting and former captain Nasser Hussain, the excitement is warranted. Jaiswal’s entry into the Indian team was driven by his outstanding domestic season, where he became the first player to achieve a double century and a century in the Irani Cup.
His impressive IPL 2023 run, scoring 625 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 163.61, further solidified his credentials. His status as a left-handed player proved to be an extra benefit as Jaiswal received his inaugural Test and T20I selection for the West Indies tour.
While it wouldn’t have been unexpected for him to also be chosen for the ODIs, the selectors opted to allocate more playing time to individuals who are in contention for a World Cup spot, which is a logical decision given his exclusion from that consideration. However, following India’s disappointing performance against Australia in the World Test Championship final, there were inevitably going to be opportunities in the Test team.
The situation was similar for the T20I squad, considering India’s desire to assess numerous emerging talents ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma rejoice in their teams’ victory in the fourth T20I against West Indies
Jaiswal performed admirably in both formats. In his first Test appearance in Dominica, the left-handed batsman hammered an impressive 171, setting a record for the highest score by a debutant in the West Indies. He followed this up with quickfire innings of 57 and 38 in the second Test held in Port of Spain.
In the T20Is, Jaiswal had to bide his time since India favoured Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill as openers. He received his T20I debut opportunity in the third match in Guyana. However, his performance wasn’t as successful as his initial Test outing. Despite being dismissed for 1, those familiar with Jaiswal’s T20 batting style anticipated his quick improvement.
The wait was brief. Jaiswal smashed an explosive unbeaten 84 from 51 balls in the fourth T20I, earning him the Player of the Match accolade. His partnership of 165 runs with Shubman Gill marked India’s highest opening stand in T20Is.
Yashasvi Jaiswal receives approval from Ponting and Karthik
Former England captain Nasser Hussain, much like several others, found Jaiswal’s performance noteworthy. Hussain mentioned having a conversation about Jaiswal with both Ponting, the coach of Delhi Capitals, and Dinesh Karthik, a player with the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Both Ponting and Karthik expressed positive opinions about Jaiswal, who represents the Rajasthan Royals.
“From what I’ve seen…he’s (Jaiswal) made a fantastic start. You speak to people who have seen him in the IPL, again I’ve been working with Ricky (Ponting) and Dinesh (Karthik) came over, and you ask questions, and they all go, yeah, this lad can play,” Hussain said in ICC Review.
The ex-right-handed batsman noted that Jaiswal possesses a strong technique and a positive attitude, which serves as evidence of the effectiveness of India’s domestic cricket system.
“He looks to have the technique and he looks to have that mindset. Like most young Indian players and batters in particular, most of them come in and have immediate success. And that is a good sign for first-class cricket, that they are being produced, not just the IPL,” he added.
Jaiswal’s next appearance is scheduled for the upcoming three-game T20I series against Ireland, commencing on August 18.
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