Since the announcement of the Indian squad for the five-match Test series in Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, the eyes were on the young left-handed opening batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who terrifically started his career in the Caribbean but failed in South Africa. However, the Mumbai batter belted truck-loaded runs at home.
Yashasvi Jaiswal has grown his stature to be one of the rare openers in the world of cricket who could play both the shortest and longest format of the game with the same grace and quality. In the ongoing year, the batter is the second-highest run-getter of the red-ball format with 1280 runs in 23 innings at an average of 58.18 and a strike rate of over 70 with the help of three centuries and seven half-centuries.
The youngster displayed his class when England came to India towards the start of the year for five Tests. The Uttar Pradesh-born smacked 712 runs in nine innings at an average of 89 and a strike rate of around 80 with the help of two centuries and three half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 214 runs.
Also Read: Gautam Gambhir, India Coach, Flies Back Home From Australia Due To Personal Reasons- Report
In the first innings of the Perth Test, when captain Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and decided to bat first on a spicy surface, which was expected to get quickened up as the game progressed, Yashasvi Jaiswal would have hoped to power the team to a magical start. But he soon found the hands of the slip fielder when he went for a huge drive against the left-arm pacer, Mitchell Starc.
“I give kisses to all my loved ones and all my fans”- Yashasvi Jaiswal
The outcome of the entire innings wasn’t supreme as the tourists were bundled out for just 150, before a special bowling attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, helped them in bundling out the home side for just 104, grabbing a lead of over 46 runs.
The onus was again on the opening stand of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, and this time around, they showed great patience and attention towards leaving the deliveries at the start and grinding the making, which helped in both tiring out the Aussie bowlers and them collecting comfortable runs. For many aggressive batters, it becomes so tough to keep themselves away from going after the balls, but that’s what Jaiswal was doing continuously, and he enjoyed the result in the end.
The 22-year-old played an eye-catching uppercut for a six, and there was that tiny moment when he wasn’t sure of whether to go for a boundary or not. He took the helmet off in pulling out the celebrating and decided to give a flying kiss.
The Australian television broadcaster, Mark Howard, asked the batter about the backstory of the celebration, to which Yashasvi Jaiswal claimed that he was not sure of what to do then and was left a bit confused with the moment.
“Yes, it was (an unusual) way to bring up the hundred. In my mind, I was like, I will do this or that, and then suddenly, something happened, and I was like, oh my god, what should I do.” The opening batter is addressed in the interaction.
“So, I was like, okay, I will just celebrate, and I will enjoy this moment. I was blessed, I was grateful, I enjoyed it, and this feeling will stay with me for a long time. I give kisses to all my loved ones and all my fans who have supported me. I just wanted to give them my love with the kisses.” Yashasvi Jaiswal concluded.
He will hope to carry the form in the second day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval, starting on December 06.