‘Set small targets’: Yashasvi Jaiswal credits Kohli and Rohit for ruthless mindset shift on way to maiden ODI hundred

Yashasvi Jaiswal shines with a maiden ODI century, scoring 116 not out as India clinches a 2-1 series win against South Africa.

Yashasvi Jaiswal walked off Vizag with more than a maiden ODI hundred. He walked off having decoded how batting alongside Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli can rewire a young opener’s mind in one night.

Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrate after winning the third one-day international. (AFP)

In just his fourth ODI, the 24-year-old left-handed opener finished unbeaten on 116 as India chased down 271 with nine wickets in hand in the series decider against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on December 6. He put on 155 for the first wicket with Rohit, then added an unbroken 116 with Virat Kohli to close out a 2-1 series win - and then calmly broke down the chase in the post-match chat.

Jaiswal learnt the art of chasing from the ‘Master’ himself

Yashasvi Jaiswal was clear about how sharply the tempo shifted once Kohli walked in. “Virat paaji, the minute he came, he started playing a lot of shots, and we kept chatting as well. He kept giving me small targets that I need to focus on. So, it was helping towards my goal as well. So, I really enjoyed it,” Jaiswal said after the game.

Those “small targets” are classic Virat Kohli ODI philosophy: breaking the chase into tiny checkpoints so the scorecard never feels distant. For a batter still settling into the 50-over format, it meant he did not have to obsess over the landmark or the pressure of a decider; he only had to keep winning the next little battle.

Before Kohli, though, was an influence that had been building over the whole series, not just one night. “We (Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma) have been chatting a lot about how we can play and how we can set the target, and what tempo we can play. So, I’m trying to understand. I had starts in the last two games, but I couldn’t convert. So, we have been speaking about how we can convert this and how we balance this innings,” said Jaiswal on his partnership with Rohit Sharma.

Rohit and Jaiswal began the chase in Vizag watchfully before quietly lifting to a run-a-ball stand. That balance, between patience and aggression, is exactly what the senior batter has been trying to drill into him.

Jasiwal admitted that, even with seven Test Hundreds and a T20I ton already to his name, ODI pacing is still a work in progress. “I was just thinking I can balance the innings. So, sometimes I need to be attacking, and sometimes I was thinking, okay, maybe I’ll take a single, or I’ll run the game. So, that was my plan, and it was pretty good,” he explained.

The most telling part was how much of his language was about thought control rather than shot-making. “I have to control my thoughts on where I can play, what shot I can play and how I can play as deep as possible. And with keeping that in my mind that if it requires, I need to go after the bowlers,” said Jaiswal.

For one night in Vizag, India’s established giants handled the experience and chatter. The kid at the top of the order showed that he is already listening and learning, at their level.