Could Yashasvi Jaiswal Be the Best Left-Handed Opener in Test Cricket?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 173 not out on Day 1.
- He has seven Test centuries to his name.
- Former players praised his commitment and skill.
- Jaiswal has converted two home centuries into double tons.
- He has scored at diverse venues worldwide.
New Delhi, Oct 10 (NationPress) Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered an exceptional performance by scoring a remarkable century on Day 1 of the second and final Test match against the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday. Former Indian cricketers Wasim Jaffer, Irfan Pathan, and Mohammad Kaif praised the young talent for his outstanding innings.
India won the toss and opted to bat first, with openers Jaiswal and KL Rahul providing a spectacular start. Following Rahul's dismissal, Sai Sudharsan joined Jaiswal, forming an impressive partnership as they navigated the second session with ease.
Although Sudharsan was out after scoring a solid 87, Jaiswal continued to shine, marking his seventh Test century. Notably, he has transformed both of his home Test centuries thus far into double hundreds, and he is on track to achieve this feat again, finishing the day at an impressive 173 not out.
Praising the young cricketer's performance, Jaffer expressed on X, “When he gets settled, the runs just flow. Another delightful century; well played @ybj_19, keep pushing forward.”
Both Kaif and Pathan also commended Jaiswal. Kaif remarked, “Yashasvi Jaiswal continues to score centuries in Test cricket. His dedication to the sport should serve as an example for all young players.”
Pathan added, “Once again, Yashasvi Jaiswal has delivered a significant score. He is currently the best left-handed opener in Test cricket, as the statistics indicate.”
Interestingly, Jaiswal has achieved all of his seven centuries in the red-ball format at diverse venues. He commenced his Test journey with a century against the West Indies in Roseau in 2023 and subsequently scored three centuries in 2024, one each in Vishakhapatnam, Rajkot, and Perth.
Last year, his two centuries at home were against England, and he secured an away century against Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy down under.
This year, Jaiswal has already notched three centuries, two against England at The Oval and Leeds, and his most recent against the Windies in Delhi.
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