Jaiswal's Latest Game Highlights India’s Strong Opening Day vs West Indies

From crisp boundaries to steady partnerships, Jaiswal’s latest game performance underlined his growing stature as India dominated Day 1 against the West Indies.

On a slow and tricky pitch in Delhi, the West Indies bowlers stayed consistent, but they couldn’t really challenge the Indian batters. The day belonged to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who strengthened his reputation with an impressive 173 not out, and Sai Sudharsan, who appeared comfortable at No. 3 with a steady 87. India finished Day 1 in a solid position at 318 for 2, after skipper Shubman Gill won the toss, marking his first success in seven attempts.

The pitch at Feroz Shah Kotla was predictably slow. The West Indies bowled well, not conceding a single extra all day, but they only posed a threat at times. Their middle session was particularly poor, leaking 126 runs without taking a wicket.

Jaiswal played a smart innings. He effortlessly collected boundaries when the bowlers offered width or overpitched. By the time he reached 93, he had already hit 11 boundaries off loose deliveries, clearly showing his ability to choose the right ball to attack.

His seventh Test century now ties him with Graeme Smith for the most hundreds by an opener under 24. Only Sachin Tendulkar scored more hundreds for India before turning 24.

Sudharsan, also 23, had a point to prove. With a first-class average below 40, his selection raised some eyebrows. However, after KL Rahul fell early to a sharply turning ball from Jomel Warrican, Sudharsan rose to the occasion. He shared a 197-run partnership with Jaiswal and looked almost flawless. He was dropped once on 58 but eventually fell to just his third loose shot in a 165-ball innings, again to Warrican, who turned the ball sharply.

Aside from those two deliveries from Warrican, the West Indies didn’t pose much of a threat. Their fast bowlers were tight early on, giving away only 29 runs in 12 overs. But once Jaiswal and Sudharsan settled in, runs began to flow freely.

Rahul, uncharacteristically, attempted to hit over the top early in his innings. He succeeded once but fell for 38, getting stumped while trying it again — this time, Warrican’s delivery spun 8.4 degrees, leaving him stranded.

Jaiswal, known for his love of sixes, kept it simple this time. He nudged and flicked his way to 40 by lunch after starting slowly with 10 runs off 35 balls.

After lunch, things worsened for the West Indies. Jayden Seales opened the session with short, wide deliveries that Jaiswal punished for fours. Even though the cut shot has led to Jaiswal’s dismissal five times, it’s also one of his strengths, and he wasn’t hesitant to use it.

Sudharsan also took advantage. He punished full tosses and overpitched balls with stylish strokes, bringing up his second Test fifty with a flicked four. He looked especially strong off the back foot, though one such punch led to his eventual dismissal.

Seales returned after tea with a tight spell — 4 overs, 6 runs — utilizing reverse swing. However, others couldn’t maintain the pressure, as Khary Pierre conceded five easy singles in one over.

Warrican finally ended Sudharsan’s innings with a delivery that turned 6.4 degrees, catching him deep in the crease when he should have been forward. Like Rahul earlier, Sudharsan misread the length and had no time to adjust.

India ended the day confidently, with Jaiswal and Gill navigating the remaining overs safely. Gill, mostly cautious, did play a couple of aerial sweeps, but the pair endured a stretch of 44 balls without a boundary. Just before stumps, Jaiswal added a few more runs, completing the day unbeaten on 173 off 253 balls.