Ranji Trophy: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav help Mumbai to 457/3 on Day 1
Opportunity will come, I just need to be ready, says Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal has hit a purple patch in red-ball cricket in the last seven months and he has no intentions of slowing down. On Tuesday, the 20-year-old scored his seventh first-class century of the year in 10 matches to help Mumbai pile-up 457 for three against Hyderabad on Day One of their Elite Group B Ranji Trophy match at the Sharad Pawar Academy, BKC.
The left-hander scored 162 off just 195 balls with the help of 27 fours and one six. Of his previous six tons, he had scored three centuries in the knockouts of 2021-22 Ranji Trophy earlier in the year, two came for West Zone in the Duleep Trophy and one for India ‘A’ during their recent tour of Bangladesh.
Jaiswal feels it is the result of the hard work he has put in over the last few years. “I have worked a lot on my game, in the nets and keeping myself mentally strong. Results are not in my hands but I work as hard as I can. I learn from seniors, keep asking them how to apply yourself in different situations. In the end, the aim is to learn as much as I can which will help improve my game. Opportunity will come, so I just need to be ready,” said Jaiswal.
Electing to bowl, it looked like Hyderabad took the right decision when Prithvi Shaw (19, 21b) was dismissed in the fourth over by Kartikeya Kak (1/70) but that was the only positive for the visitors as the Mumbai batters piled on the misery thereafter.
While Jaiswal adopted a cautious approach to start with in his 153-run partnership for the second wicket with Suryakumar Yadav (90, 80b), the India batter went on the rampage from word go. The ball was flying off Surya’s bat as he hit 15 fours and one six during his stay before the fireworks were defused by left-arm spinner Shashank Mehrotra (2/87), who trapped him leg-before.
Jaiswal then joined forces with skipper Ajinkya Rahane—who was unbeaten on 139 from 190 balls at stumps. The two put on 206 runs in 229 balls for the third wicket. Rahane will resume the second day alongside Sarfaraz Khan, who was batting on 40 from 55 balls.
Jaiswal picked up the scoring after seeing off the new ball. While he scored 57 off 91 balls in his partnership with Surya, he was equal contributor during his collaboration with Rahane which saw him score 101 off 102 balls.
The opener was disappointed to miss out on a double ton. “I was trying to bat as long as possible. I’m a bit disappointed as it was a good opportunity to score a big knock,” said Jaiswal after the match.
Nonetheless batting with the likes of Surya and Rahane was a learning experience for him. “They were guiding me throughout the innings. I was just soaking it up (whatever they were saying) and applying it. During my partnership with Ajjubhai, I played an uppish off-drive as he soon walked over and told me “not play that shot for some time”,” said Jaiswal.
Speaking about his India ‘A’ stint which saw him score 141 against Bangladesh ‘A’ in the first match of two-match series, Jaiswal said: "It was special for me. I was playing for the first time with India ‘A’. The match was at Cox Bazaar and it had never been to that stadium. To go there, adjust yourself to the surroundings and be match ready was challenging."