Yashasvi Jaiswal makes it a debut to remember

The 21-year-old became only the third Indian opener to score a century in his first Test

The Yashasvi Jaiswal you have known so far bared himself for a second with that pull over midwicket which brought up his fifty. Alzarri Joseph was a fraction short, allowing Jaiswal enough reaction time to swivel on his backheel and find the middle of his bat. Easy peasy.

Yashasvi Jaiswal of India celebrates his century during day two of the First Test between West Indies and India at Windsor Park (AFP)

There was that reverse sweep too, lesser only because it wasn't as visually satisfying as that pull, when Jaiswal almost went down on his knee to paddle it through point. Those were by far the most adventurous shots Jaiswal played in a ballad of an innings.

This was a hundred built on the intent of not letting a start go to waste, not to forget how it took Jaiswal 16 balls to get off the blocks. First delivery of his life, and Jaiswal had instinctively tried to go for the pull, only for the ball to cramp him up and slide past his shirt. That was the wake-up call. This was Test cricket, Jaiswal needed to apply himself and not get too carried away. Not everyone scores a hundred on debut. Why should he spurn the chance?

On the odd occasion, he tried to go for an extravagant sweep but Jaiswal calmed himself. Runs came at a premium. So when Jaiswal reached his fifty, he couldn’t have wasted that as well. The determination was writ large on Jaiswal’s 21-year-old face, barely raising his bat but heartily acknowledging Rohit Sharma’s counsel. He wasn’t done, not by a long way.

The first session produced just 66 runs but it was nevertheless a key phase. When Jaiswal hit that four to raise his fifty, it also brought up India's first opening century stand in 23 Test innings, since KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal had added 117 against South Africa in Centurion in December 2021.

When they took the lead, it was the first time in Test history that India had achieved that without losing a wicket. These are crucial numbers, and on the face of it, very assuring too since India have struggled with openers for a long time. A left-right combination scoring a double-hundred opening partnership is just the kind of start a vision requires.

Sharma played a crucial part in it too. Nudging out of his crease, taking a light half-step, he leaned across to a fuller length Joseph delivery to whip him over midwicket for a six. Soft hands were all over that late guide past the slip two balls later. When Jaiswal was concentrating on not getting out to a rash shot, Sharma was slashing, hoicking and chipping bowlers effortlessly. Runs were coming at a decent clip, and it wasn’t a problem since India have all the time in the world to bat once and put up an insurmountable score.

It effectively removed the last shred of pressure on Jaiswal. All he had to do was to apply himself, remember the basics, heed to Sharma’s advice and just get the runs. With Cornwall walking off the field due to a chest infection, West Indies had also lost some sting in their bowling.

And once the Dukes ball had become old enough, it wasn’t of much use to Jason Holder or Roach. Jaiswal was picking up his scoring rate as well. He charged at Jomel Warrican, making room for himself and driving him through mid-off for a boundary. Next over, Joseph again banged the ball short but Jaiswal effortlessly pulled him through deep square for another boundary. Once in the 90’s Jaiswal wasn’t taking any risk.

A nudge here, a push there, and he quietly approached his hundred till Alick Athanaze fed him a rank half-volley around leg. Jaiswal swept him behind square, completed the single and looked skywards. He has finally arrived.