Yashasvi Jaiswal hit a stunning century on Sunday as India played a five-Test series against Australia in Perth. The 22-year-old opening batsman turned an overnight 90 into 161 on day three in the opening match — his fourth ton in his 15th Test. The stunning match has sparked comparisons with cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar who become a ‘global phenomenon’ after scoring a hundred in Perth as a 17-year-old.
“161 runs. 297 balls. 15 fours. 3 sixes. What a knock! Well played, Yashasvi Jaiswal,” the BCCI official handle exulted.
The attacking left-handed batsman first gained prominence last year with a stellar showing in the Indian Premier League. He hit 171 last year on his debut against the West Indies, off a gruelling 387 deliveries over more than eight hours at the crease in Dominica. He smacked two double centuries against visiting England earlier this year.
Another user noted that there had only been four Indian players who scored a hundred at Perth since 1977. The short list includes Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar in 1992 and Virat Kohli in 2018.
“18 year old Sachin Tendulkar at Perth. 22 year old Yashasvi Jaiswal at Perth. Just Mumbai cricket heritage,” wrote another.
“One of the finest batter that India has. We had Sachin, we are having Virat and in the future we will have Yashsavi Jaiswal,” agreed a third.
India had scored only 150 runs in their first innings but returned to bundle out Australia for 104 in their first essay. In their second innings, Jaiswal and KL Rahul (77) stitched a record-breaking 201-run stand for the opening wicket, the highest by an Indian opening pair on Australian soil, to put India in a strong position.
“This boy's is special. Looking at where he's come from, the way he's been batting and handling fame, it's not easy sometimes to handle fame,” Gavaskar said after the day's play ended.
(With inputs from agencies)
