Rajkot, Feb 20:
The leading run-getter in the current ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to establish himself as one of India’s rising superstars.
The 22-year-old has already broken and created new records in his seven Test matches. After his back-to-back double hundreds helped him overtake Usman Khwaja (855 runs) to become the most prolific batter in the current WTC cycle with 861 runs, on February 18, during Day 4 of the Rajkot Test, Jaiswal also became the first India batter to hit 12 sixes in a Test innings and with 22 sixes in only three Tests, he went past his opening partner and skipper Rohit Sharma (19 sixes) on the list of most sixes hit in a bilateral Test series.
“In India, when you grow up, you work really hard for each and everything. Even when getting the bus you have to work really hard to get on the bus. You have to work really hard to get to the train and auto and everything and I have done that since my childhood and I know how important every innings is and that’s why I work hard in my [practice] sessions and every innings counts for me and my team,” Jaiswal said on broadcast post-match.
“That is my biggest motivation to play for my country and I just make sure that whenever I’m there I need to give my 100% and then enjoy,” he said.
The first innings of the Rajkot Test saw Jaiswal dismissed early to Mark Wood for 10 runs. However, Rohit and Ravindra Jadeja’s centuries helped India to a strong total of 445. The effort from the senior men instilled in young Jaiswal with motivation to go big in the second innings.
“The way Rohit bhai and Jaddu bhai played in the first innings, motivated me a lot,” Jaiswal said.
“Because the passion was there, the talk was there, they were determined to play session by session and when I was inside [the dressing room] I kept thinking that when I go there I have to make it count. The way they were talking about the game, the way they motivated us, I think it’s incredible to see them putting a lot of effort,” he said.
“It’s kind of hard, Test cricket, I guess. So, I just make sure that if I’m there, I need to make sure in my mind that I will give my 100%,” Jaiswal said.
“I didn’t want to retire out but it was too much. The next day I didn’t know how it was going to start, lots of thoughts in my mind. But again when I came, I tried to give myself time and after that, I felt really really good,” Jaiswal said.
