The battle between Mitchell Starc and Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a treat to watch. In the Perth Test, Jaiswal scored a century in the first innings and during his knock told Starc that "it's coming too slow". Starc had a comeback in the next Test by knocking him over in Adelaide. Starc dominated Jaiswal till the run chase at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Starc who has been struggling with a niggle since Day 4 had another exchange with Jaiswal. The left-arm pacer flipped the bails, something which has been common in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series. Jaiswal was quick to return them to their original positions as Starc walked back to his mark. Later, Starc had a short but fiesty exchange with the young opener.
"Superstitious, mate?" Starc asked during the 33rd over of India's run chase.
"I believe in myself. That is why I am here," Jaiswal replied with confidence.
"So what are you changing the bails for, if not your superstition?" Starc asked a follow-up question.
"I am just enjoying this moment of my life," Jaiswal said as Starc walked back.
In his next over, Jaiswal had another exchange with Starc as the pacer beat him with a delivery outside off stump. While walking back to the start of his run-up, he once again flipped the bails. However, Rishabh Pant chose not to switch it back like Jaiswal.
A few overs later, Jaiswal reached his fifty from 127 balls. This is his slowest fifty. The previous-slowest from 123 balls came at Perth Stadium. The left-handed batter also became the first Indian opener since Murali Vijay to register fifty-plus scores in both innings of a Test in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries. In the first innings, Jaiswal missed his century as he was run out for 82 after a mix-up with Virat Kohli while trying to sneak a single.
Jaiswal holds the fort
Jaiswal played with patience as Pat Cummins delivered a double-wicket maiden to get rid of captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul. India were 33 for 3 at the stroke of lunch as Virat Kohli got out to Starc. In the second session, India did not lose a single wicket. Jaiswal and Pant shared an 88-run stand for the fourth wicket. The partnership was eventually broken by Travis Head who could not do much with the bat in the ongoing Test. Pant scored 30 runs from 104 deliveries including just two fours.