Image Credit- PTI
Only twice in Test cricket since August 2018 did the
opening five wickets fall to attacking shots, as happened in India’s innings.
And considering what one of their three half-centurions said, that strategy
isn’t likely to change very soon.
With a rampant Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s hitters
dominated England, especially on the first day. In his maiden Test match at
home, the 22-year-old opener struck the opening ball of the innings for four
runs and the opening ball of spin for six. Twenty runs short of a century, that
is the style of play he wants to play and he has no regrets about how he was
dismissed.
“Of course, it would have been amazing if I would
have scored a hundred,” Jaiswal said on Friday at the post-match press
conference. “But what took me there was my thinking and my process to
score runs and I was quite positive in my mind and I was just thinking, making
sure I can build an innings. But it was good actually.
“This is my first Test match in India and I was
just thinking of contributing well and doing well for my team. When I was
playing in the West Indies and South Africa, it was quite a different
environment. Here also the environment is quite different. I was really
enjoying all the places, of course. It is a proud and honour moment every time
I go and play for my country.”
Jaiswal took a special interest in the debutant Tom
Hartley and appeared to be enjoying the fact that all three of England’s
frontline spinners were spinning the ball into him. There were two sixes and
six fours in the 44 runs in 26 balls in that head-to-head match. In response to
the question of whether it was a calculated move, Jaiswal said, “No, I
don’t think so. I was only considering my options for playing a specific
ball.”
The innings was in its twenty-fourth over when someone
who could remove the ball from Jaiswal entered the field. He hit Joe Root for
the fourth ball of the day with a massive blow, but he fell two balls later
after playing an ambitious stroke.
“I knew that at some stage he was going to bowl.
I was prepared for him. He can bowl first over. But as I said, I was trying my
best to do what I could and sometimes I can make a mistake and get out. Still,
I’m learning. If I do make a mistake, I’ll make sure that I try to learn from
it.”