The ongoing multi-format series between the West Indies and India got off to a spectacular start for the visitors. India defeated the Windies in the first Test of the series at Windsor Park, winning by an innings and 141 runs. The Rohit Sharma-led side put up an outstanding effort with both bat and ball, and there were other standout performances from the squad. However, none of them had the same impact as rookie Yashasvi Jaiswal, Player of the Match performance.
Jaiswal contributed 171 runs in 387 deliveries to his team’s 421-run total before declaring. His knock was also critical in the team’s victory by a large margin.
His innings drew praise from fans and analysts alike, and India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour was among those who praised the 21-year-old’s temperament.
Rathour stepped forward before lunch on Day 2 of the Test match to discuss Jaiswal’s play. He said it was the pinnacle of his innings and that he has a bright future in Indian cricket.
Vikram Rathour comments on Yashasvi Jaiswal
“On the second day [of the Test match], he scored some 20 runs off 90 balls before lunch. I think that, for me was the highlight of the innings. Somebody who is able to do that, who can play against his character, his normal game, get through that phase and then score big runs, it was phenomenal to watch; absolutely no doubt that he has great potential and great future with the Indian team in all three formats,”
Rathour was quoted as saying by India Today.
He also stated that Jaiswal has the potential to be a permanent member of the Indian team for at least the next decade. The 21-year-old has the capacity to adapt to every scenario, from his explosiveness in the IPL to his resilience in the first Test.
“I’ve been a selector before, so whenever you pick a player you should pick him with the intent that he will play for India for the next 10 years. He definitely has the potential. For me the most important thing (even though) I haven’t worked with Yashasvi before, was that I had seen him scoring runs at the IPL, you saw how dynamic a batsman he is, the kind of stroke-player he is. But he managed to change the game according to the situation of the team,”
Rathour said.
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