Former England captain Alastair Cook applauded young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for his match-winning knock in the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test against Australia in Perth. After registering a duck in the first innings, he bounced back in style with a brilliant 297-ball 161 in India’s second innings as well. However, it was Jaiswal’s fourth Test century in just 15 Tests and a second away from home after his debut century in the West Indies last year as well.
Talking to TNT Sports, Cook said, “We’ve seen his celebration enough here, but it’s more enjoyable against Australia than England. And sledging Mitchell Starc, saying at a certain stage, I think he wasn’t on 100, he wasn’t on anything on a major score, but he’s telling him you’re bowling slow. And I’ve faced Mitchell Starc and he certainly doesn’t bowl slow,” he said.
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“And if he was bowling slow, I’d keep my mouth shut and not wind him up, but have the confidence to do that as a 22-year-old. I think he scored the most runs as any Indian player up to after 15 test matches at the top of the order, which I’ll keep saying it, no one else believes me, it’s the hardest place to bat. What a classy player he is,” he further added.
Alastair Cook also expressed surprise at India defeating Australia convincingly in the first Test at the Perth Stadium as well. Australia entered the game with an unbeaten record at the venue in Tests, having won their last four outings. However, they lost to an Indian side to suffer a massive 295-run defeat as well.
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“I was surprised. I was surprised that India have gone there and hammered Australia in what normally is a very hard place to go and play cricket, Perth. I know it’s not the WACA. I know it’s the new stadium, but still, historically, Australia don’t lose many games there. I thought India was so brave. I thought that first, you know, the win the toss and bat on that wicket, you know, you look there, even though there’s only 150 they got, you know, the thought process to say, we’re going to take Australia on there. We know it’s going to be hard, but we think it’s going to be hard for both sides only, and then it’ll be a one-inning game.”
