Yashasvi Jaiswal's record-breaking day puts India in driver's seat vs West Indies
India showcased a commanding batting performance on Day 1 of the second Test against the West Indies at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, led by the stellar form of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. The young batter remained unbeaten on 173, breaking several records and cementing his status as one of the top performers in the World Test Championship (WTC). With seven Test centuries in the WTC, Jaiswal now ranks second among openers, just behind Rohit Sharma, who has nine centuries to his name.
Beyond centuries, Jaiswal has matched the elite company of Kane Williamson and Marnus Labuschagne by registering five scores of 150 or more in WTC history, with Joe Root leading the pack at eight such innings. On the broader stage of Indian Test cricket, Jaiswal is third on the list for most 150+ scores, trailing only legends Virender Sehwag, who has 14, and Sunil Gavaskar, with 11.
Apart from Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan also played an impactful knock. The youngster was under some pressure for not being able to prove himself at number three. Despite so, the team management wanted to give him more chances to prove his mettle in Test cricket. He took advantage of that and made 87 runs in the second Test. This will boost Sudharsan’s confidence as he will be key for the Test series against South Africa.
West Indies’ misery continues
On the other hand, ahead of the second Test, West Indies head coach Daren Sammy compared their cricketing system to cancer. He expects the players to step up and show some prowess, but it was once again missing. Jomel Warrican was the star with the ball, picking up two wickets, but it wasn’t enough. India posted 318 runs on Day 1 of the Test and will be hoping to add at least 200 more and secure an innings win.
Given their form, it seems difficult for West Indies to bounce back in any sort. For India, it should be all about following the routine and registering their first series win in the ongoing WTC cycle.
