Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his red-hot form and cracked a stunning century in the second Test against England in Visakhapatnam on February 2, Friday.
Yashasvi Jaiswal took just 151 balls to touch the three-figure mark. He belted his century in his own style when he stepped out to dispatch Tom Hartley for a maximum. Notably, Jaiswal's first ton came in his debut Test match in West Indies last year. In total, this was Yashasvi's third ton of his career and first in India.
Yashasvi, 1st to achieve this feat
Yashasvi Jaiswal is the first batter to score two hundreds in WTC 2023-25.
Yashasvi's century came when India are facing a stern challenge in the second Test against England and are playing without their key players Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja and are also 0-1 down in the five-match series.
Yashasvi Jaiswal storms into Elite List
The star opener etched his name as the 15th Indian opener to score a century on home soil against England, a feat last accomplished by Rohit Sharma in 2021. He aligns himself with legendary batters such as Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, and Murali Vijay with this achievement. Yashavi notched his first Test century during a match in the West Indies last year and fulfilled the anticipation for a home Test century this Friday.
In the opening Test in Hyderabad last week, three Indian batsmen, including Yashasvi, crossed the fifty-run mark in the first innings, yet none converted these starts into a century. This was a point of critique from head coach Rahul Dravid following India's unexpected 28-run defeat at the hands of England in the series opener. Despite amassing 436 runs in the first innings and establishing a 190-run lead, many concurred with Dravid's view that India had the opportunity to push for a higher total.
However, the scenario changed in Visakhapatnam, where the first Indian batsman to surpass fifty ensured he reached the century mark. Yashasvi Jaiswal displayed his adaptability by moderating his aggression compared to his approach in Hyderabad at the beginning of India's innings in Vizag. After Rohit Sharma elected to bat upon winning the toss, both Indian openers cautiously navigated England's new-ball attack, led by James Anderson and Joe Root, setting a solid foundation.
Yashasvi Jaiswal's calculative approach
Yashasvi Jaiswal began to show his aggressive side towards the close of the first session, particularly targeting debutant Shoaib Bashir, who had earlier claimed the significant wicket of Rohit Sharma. Yashasvi reached his half-century in the session's penultimate over, marked by a six and a four. Despite England bowling 31 overs and securing two wickets, including Shubman Gill who fell early to James Anderson, Yashasvi remained calm and collected.
After the lunch break, Yashasvi, now joined by Shreyas Iyer batting at No. 4, ramped up the intensity. Nearing the end of the second session's first hour, the young opener upped his pace against England's spin attack, notably hitting Tom Hartley for three consecutive boundaries, propelling him into the 90s.
Yashasvi achieved his century by charging down the pitch and launching a massive six off Hartley's bowling, reaching the landmark in style. He removed his helmet to bask in the cheers from both the dressing room and the spectators in Vizag.
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