Yashasvi Jaiswal kept his cool and seized the moment in the second and final Test of India’s series against the West Indies. The 23‑year‑old left‑hander’s 175‑run knock at Arun Jaitley Stadium earned him a friendly pat on the back from all‑time West Indies great Brian Lara, who jokingly told the young opener, “Don’t beat our bowlers so bad.” Lara’s words were a light‑hearted reminder that India’s openers have reached a high level of respect in the international arena.
Jaiswal opened the innings with style. He had already gone past the 173‑run mark from the previous day, and on the second ball of the second session he sent a ball to mid‑off and ran a quick single. When the fielding side hauled him back, he stayed put, but a quick throw from the fielder—labeled as Gill in the report—caught the bowled-plater, and wicketkeeper Tevin Imlach blew the stumps apart, dismissing the ball‑player at 175 from 258 balls. The dismissal was a mix of skill and a bit of tension: a single run, a split second decision, and the wicket fell.
After the dismissal, Jaiswal thanked Lara’s words in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He highlighted that the series was a big test for India’s new generation of batsmen and that he enjoyed the encouragement from the former West Indies legend.
### A strong series performance
In the two‑match Test series, Jaiswal racked up 211 runs in his two innings at an average of 105.50. He also hit a single century and maintained a comfortable strike rate of 67.62. The numbers show that he is growing faster than most of his peers. Running yet again, this year (2025) he has scored 654 runs across eight matches, 14 innings, with an average of 46.71. The 23‑year‑old has also added three centuries and two fifties to his resume.
Across all of India’s 26 Test matches, Jaiswal has batted 48 times, amassing 2,420 runs at a lovely average of 52.60. He has hit seven centuries and 12 half‑scores, showing an attacking yet consistent style with a strike rate of 66.33. The trend of quick runs can be seen in his strike rate, while his consistency speaks for itself.
### 3,000‑run milestone
On the first day of the final Test, Jaiswal crossed the 3,000‑run mark in all formats – a remarkable milestone for a man who has played just 50 internationals. He now has 3,158 runs across 50 matches, averaging 47.81. Among his numbers is a best score of 214 not out, eight centuries and 17 half‑scores, and a strike rate of 76.83. Only one other Indian icon – Virat Kohli – has reached this milestone on the first day of a Test at Indian soil, doing so in 2016 against England and again in 2017 against Sri Lanka.
### Record‑breaking centuries
Jaiswal’s 175‑run innings in this series was his fifth of a Test century on his debut tour of a foreign board. Five of his seven Test centuries are over 150 runs. In fact, the only player to have more 150+ innings before turning 23 is Don Bradman, who faced the world of cricket like everyone else back in 1930. In a team context, Jaiswal remains the leading opener in terms of centuries since his debut, while the next best opener, Ben Duckett, has four centuries to his name.
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Across the world, Jaiswal’s name is appearing in nesting searches by fans, analysts and sports talk shows. Experts note that his technique will likely store an extra set of big scores in the near future. While still early in his career, his drive, runs, and remarkable debuts show that he is a player to watch as India continues to battle big teams like the West Indies and other top sides in their upcoming Test schedule.
Source: aninews
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