Yashasvi Jaiswal etched his name in the record books on Day 2 of the first Test between India and West Indies in Dominica, as he notched a remarkable century in his debut Test match. His celebration upon reaching the milestone perfectly captured the significance of the moment. In the 70th over’s first ball, Jaiswal elegantly shuffled across his stumps and dispatched a shortish delivery from off-spinner Alick Athanaze towards long leg before sprinting towards the non-striker’s end.
Though a casual jog would have sufficed to complete an easy single, Jaiswal, batting on 99 in his maiden Test innings, was too overwhelmed to be composed. As soon as he completed the run to bring up his century, he jubilantly removed his helmet, leaped in the air, and let out a roar of triumph. He then bowed down to the Indian dressing room, a signature celebration he has adopted after every century, while the team stood up, applauding and cheering.
WATCH – Virat Kohli Questions Brathwaite’s Bowling Action With ‘Bhatta’ Comment
After basking in the applause from the crowd and his teammates, the 21-year-old sprinted toward his captain and opening partner, Rohit Sharma. Rohit embraced the young talent with a smile. The cameras swiftly captured Virat Kohli, who also wore a wide grin. It was a heartwarming moment for Indian cricket. Jaiswal had ample reasons to celebrate and treasure his knock. He joined the elite group of 17 Indian cricketers who have achieved the feat of a debut Test century. F
.
यशस्वी भवः 💯
.
.#INDvWIonFanCode #WIvIND pic.twitter.com/59Uq9ik1If— FanCode (@FanCode) July 13, 2023
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s partnership of 229 runs with Rohit is the highest opening partnership for India in Test matches against West Indies. Their partnership showcased classical Test match batting, with two quality batsmen tiring out a bowling attack that lacked the firepower to trouble them. Jaiswal reached his maiden century in 215 deliveries, while Rohit took 220 deliveries.
ALSO READ: Yashasvi Jaiswal Shines With Spectacular Test Debut Century Against West Indies
The slow nature of the pitch posed a challenge for aggressive batsmen like Rohit and Jaiswal, who prefer playing through the line. The bowlers from West Indies, such as Jomel Warrican (1/66 in 23 overs), struggled to trouble Jaiswal, particularly when he played off the back foot against slow bowlers. The pace duo of Alzarri Joseph (0/56 in 11 overs) and Kemar Roach (0/31 in 11 overs) also lacked the zip to trouble the Indian batsmen.
The outstanding performances by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma have put India in a commanding position in the Test match, leaving West Indies searching for answers. As the match progresses, the focus will be on India’s batsmen to consolidate their advantage and potentially set up a dominant declaration, further asserting their dominance in the contest.
