[ad_1]
Of all the Indian batters in the fray for a top-order slot at this year’s T20 World Cup, Yashasvi Jaiswal is the youngest and the most recent entrant. It’s safe to presume that the 22-year-old left-handed opener wasn’t in consideration when the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off last year, but so convincing has he been from then on that he was inked for the opening spot at the beginning of the ongoing T20 series against Afghanistan ahead of Shubman Gill. Let’s not forget that Gill was the highest run-getter in last year’s IPL.
It all began for Jaiswal with a 625-run IPL season for Rajasthan Royals that saw him finish fifth in the list of highest run-getters. If that’s impressive, even more noteworthy was his overshadowing T20 phenom Jos Buttler at the top of the order. While Buttler’s 392 runs came at a strike rate of 139.01, Jaiswal was striking at 163.61, often resulting in situations where the England white-ball captain was playing second fiddle.
India’s selectors were obviously impressed, for Jaiswal was drafted into the T20 squad for their very first series — against West Indies in the Caribbean — after the IPL. Jaiswal has returned the favour by repaying the faith, amassing 498 runs in 16 matches at an excellent strike rate of 163.81. It may be a small sample size, but Jaiswal is second to only Suryakumar Yadav on the list of Indian batters with the highest strike rates (minimum 300 runs) in T20Is.
His 34-ball 68 against Afghanistan in Indore on Sunday again embodied his uncompromisingly attacking outlook while also delivering a statement about his credentials to make the cut for the T20 World Cup. Never mind where Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stand in India’s T20 plans, Jaiswal has a lot going for him in his bid to take that flight to the Caribbean and United States.
For starters, Jaiswal isn’t one of those batters who takes a bit of time to tee off. At the Holkar Stadium, he blazed away to 20 off 11 deliveries, capitalising on width to square drive his second ball for four through point, lofting a length ball over mid-on for six and pulling a long hop into the stands over midwicket. Exquisite timing and the knack to pierce gaps seem to be inherent traits, allowing Jaiswal to take toll of deliveries erring in line or length almost always.
“I have been told to go and express myself. I am trying to do what I do. I keep working hard in my practice sessions and on my process. Whenever I get a chance, I make sure I am doing things for the team. I am trying to make sure my intent is good,” Jaiswal told reporters after India claimed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
A rapid start when only two fielders are permitted outside the 30-yard circle is one thing but maintaining that tempo even when the opposition has more protection in the deep is another. Jaiswal is managing to also do the latter, defying the initial impression that he isn’t a big ball-striker by launching massive hits into the stands against pace and spin alike.
Jaiswal’s mindset is just as integral. When India reached 116/2 in ten overs on Sunday in a chase of 173, a mere 57 runs were needed off 60 balls. Jaiswal was already on 51 off 28 deliveries and could have quite easily settled for an asterisk next to his score by staying through to the end. What does Jaiswal do? Begin the 11th over by hitting left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad for two consecutive sixes. He was dismissed two overs later while attempting to cut a length ball, but the shortest format mandates batters to exhibit uninhibited aggression in the manner that Jaiswal does.
“I was just trying to score runs off the loose balls and give the team a good start. Once I gave a good start, I wanted to keep batting with a good strike rate,” Jaiswal said.
Amid the fierce competition for slots building up to the T20 World Cup, what should also work in Jaiswal’s favour is that he’s the lone left-hander vying to open the batting. While India went into the ODI World Cup with a right-hand dominant batting line-up, the presence of at least a couple of left-handers in the top seven adds a “nice string to the bow” as coach Rahul Dravid put it.
“Players like Rinku (Singh), Jaiswal and Tilak (Varma) have come in as well, which adds a nice string to the bow. But in the end, we make selection on the basis of performance, not just on the left-hand or right-hand batsmen,” Dravid had said on the eve of the current T20 series.
In the end, India’s exact combination is likely to boil down to the form of the various contenders during the first few weeks of the IPL, which is when the 15-member squad for the marquee event will be picked. In Jaiswal’s case, unless something goes horribly wrong from here, he has perhaps already done enough to suggest that he should be one of those names.
[ad_2]
Source link