Yashasvi Jaiswal played a resilient and mature knock on Day 1 of India’s second Test against England at Visakhapatnam, holding the Indian innings together as the big guns failed to make meaningful contributions on a good batting pitch. The southpaw garnered praise from former England skipper Alastair Cook after his masterful showing with the bat.

India made 336 on the opening day ,but they also lost 6 wickets, leading to mixed reactions from the cricket fraternity. Key Indian batters like skipper Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer failed to get going with the bat as the experienced ones in an otherwise inexperienced line-up failed to convert their starts into big knocks.

However, the home side’s hopes for a higher score stayed alive with their young opener Jaiswal still at the crease, scoring an impressive 179 not out off 257 balls.

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Jaiswal displayed strong and resilient batting intent against an in-form English bowling lineup as he scored his second Test century off 151 deliveries.

Tackling experienced bowlers like James Anderson and a spirited yet inexperienced spin attack, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 179 saved the blushes for India after captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat.

This was Jaiswal’s first Test hundred at home and second overall. His first three-digit score came in his debut Test last July, where he made 171 runs against the West Indies.

Alastair Cook impressed with ‘matured’ Jaiswal

The gritty performance by Jaiswal drew accolades from all over the cricket world, including Cook. The 39-year-old Cook, who is considered one of the best Test batters for England, was highly impressed by the batter’s composure, even when other Indian batters failed to give him the required support.

“He’s delivered when his side need it. It was an innings of maturity and skill beyond his 22 years,” Alastair Cook told BBC.

While acknowledging a defined sense of maturity and game understanding in Jaiswal’s innings, Cook also slammed the rest of India’s ‘fragile’ batting lineup for not holding their ground on Day 1.

“Yashasvi Jaiswal was absolutely outstanding. The rest of the India team were 158-6 on a pretty good wicket. If you take him out of the side their fragile batting line-up is still there,” Cook added.

Cook also had some words of advice for the English bowlers to get the better of Jaiswal and get him out on Day 2. The former skipper suggested bowling wide of the wicket to the batter, which he acknowledged to be a risky but possibly worthwhile chance that could end the young opener’s stay on Day 2.

“I wonder if England could bowl a bit wider at him. It might leak some runs, but it would add more risk.” Cook added.

India had a total of 336/6 on the scoreboard at the end of Day 1, with English bowlers Rehan Ahmed and debutant Shohaib Bashir picking two wickets each and one wicket apiece for Anderson and Hartley.