Former India pacer explains why the young opener, still only 22, is such a special talent
MUMBAI: The brilliant, quickfire twin fifties (72 off 51 balls and 51 off 45 balls) that Yashasvi Jaiswal smashed to earn the ‘Player of the Match’ award in the second Test against Bangladesh at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, coming on the back of a magnificent home series against England (712 runs in five Tests at an average of 89.00, with two hundreds and three fifties), reaffirm Jaiswal’s status as one of the top two or three most dangerous batsmen in Test cricket at the moment.
Having amassed 1,217 runs in just 11 Tests at an impressive average of 64.05, the 22-year-old has emerged as India’s potential trump card in the highly anticipated five-Test series in Australia this winter.
While Jaiswal’s early struggles in his journey are well-documented, not many are aware that in the initial part of this dashing left-hander’s career, few thought that he would be such a rage in red-ball cricket.
In a conversation with TOI, ex-India pacer and former national selector Salil Ankola recalled that picking Jaiswal initially for a shortened season of the Ranji Trophy in 2022 wasn’t an easy decision when he was Mumbai’s chief selector.
“As a selector, you go by your instincts too. He has the attitude, flair, and guts-that street-smartness you want in a cricketer. I felt Jaiswal had that. However, his selection (for the Mumbai Ranji team that year) was against all odds. A lot of people had different opinions-some felt his (aggressive) game wasn’t suited to red-ball cricket. But I trusted my instincts. I felt that the game had become faster, and this boy would do well in all formats. Luckily, a couple of other selectors backed me on this, and Jaiswal proved us right!”
Despite being part of the squad, Jaiswal didn’t get a game in the league stage of the 2022 Ranji Trophy in Ahmedabad. However, vindicating Ankola’s faith in his long format abilities, the young left-hander scored 498 runs in three matches at an average of 83.00, with three hundreds (including one in each innings of the semifinals against Uttar Pradesh in Bengaluru) and a fifty, playing a big role in taking Mumbai to the Ranji final that year.
Ankola was convinced of Jaiswal’s potential to make waves in the cricket world the first time he saw him bat in February 2020, during an Under-19 World Cup match against Pakistan in Potchefstroom, South Africa, where Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 105. Jaiswal, who finished as the tournament’s top run-scorer with 400 runs in six matches at an average of 133.33 (including one century and four fifties), had already been recognized as one for the future.
“I knew this guy was special, and he proved it. When you watch a batsman, the first thing you notice is his range of shots, and he has that. He’s got great timing and power-a rare combination. His ‘flow’ is tremendous, as is his bat speed and swing. That’s what struck me about him. Some players are technically correct, while some are clean hitters-he’s both. He’s a once-in-a-generation player,” Ankola praised.
Explaining why he always believed Jaiswal was a lethal batsman in any format, Ankola said, “He adapts to any surface and conditions quickly. He’s mentally strong and super fit. He handles pressure well. If he must take 300 balls to make a century, he’ll do that, and if he needs to score a hundred in 50 balls, he’ll do that too. In my view, he’s an all-format player.”
Ankola also highlighted Jaiswal’s determination: “Most importantly, bahaut ziddi (he’s very determined). He’s only 22, so age is on his side.”
