Yashasvi Jaiswal relishes Test hundred on debut: It is difficult to get opportunities in Indian team

Yashasvi Jaiswal hit an exceptional hundred on the second day of the first Test match against West Indies in Dominica.

Jaiswal, who began the day at 40 not out, displayed a cautious yet positive approach throughout his innings.

After the lunch break, he accelerated his scoring rate and reached a well-crafted century. This achievement made him the 17th Indian player to score a hundred on their Test debut. The last Indian to accomplish this feat was Shreyas Iyer in 2021 against New Zealand.

Jaiswal called his hundred “one of the emotional knocks” while acknowledging that getting opportunities in the Indian team is very difficult.

“I think this is one of the emotional knock for me, it’s difficult to get opportunities in the Indian team, I would like to thank everyone, the supporters, team management and Rohit bhai,” Jaiswal said after the stumps.

“The pitch is on the slower side and the outfield is very slow, it was difficult and challenging, it was pretty hot and I wanted to keep doing it for my country, just play ball-by-ball and enjoy my cricket. I love Test cricket, I like this challenge, I enjoy the situation when the ball swings and seams.

“We have worked hard on everything, I’ve just gone out to express myself. Was an emotional moment (to hit a century), was just proud of myself, thankful for everyone, this is just a start and I want to do well going further.”

Jaiswal’s century holds significant value as he is only the seventh Indian batter and the first in 13 years to achieve this milestone on debut away from home. Suresh Raina was the last Indian batter to score a Test century on debut outside India in 2010 against Sri Lanka.

Moreover, Jaiswal became the third Indian opener to hit a hundred on Test debut, following the footsteps of Shikhar Dhawan (187 against Australia in 2013) and Prithvi Shaw (134 against West Indies in 2018).

Despite having played only 15 first-class matches in his career, Jaiswal boasts an impressive average of over 80 with nine centuries, including a remarkable 265 in the second innings of the Duleep Trophy Final last year. He completed his hundred on Test debut in the 70th over, during which the opening partnership with Rohit Sharma had crossed 200 runs.

Rohit also reached his tenth Test century. However, he fell on the next ball to debutant Alick Athanaze, gloving a catch to Joshua Da Silva down the leg side. The opening stand between Rohit and Jaiswal amassed 229 runs, becoming the second-highest for India in Tests in the West Indies. The record for the highest opening partnership in West Indies Tests is held by Vijay Manjrekar and Pankaj Roy, who put on 237 runs for the second wicket at Sabina Park in 1953.

Virat Kohli (36*) partnered with Jaiswal in the final session, and together they added 72 runs before stumps were called. Jaiswal will resume his innings on 143* as India concluded day two with a total of 312/2, holding a commanding lead of 162 runs over the West Indies.