“As a coach, nothing pleases you more” - Rahul Dravid reflects on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s sensational Test debut
Team India head coach Rahul Dravid asserted that he was extremely pleased with the manner in which Yashasvi Jaiswal adapted his game according to the situation during his Test debut innings against West Indies in Dominica. Admitting that youngsters like Jaiswal and Shubman Gill will be tested as they play more games, he added that it will be a challenge for the players to respond to the same.
Jaiswal, 21, made a memorable Test debut against West Indies in Dominica, scoring 171 off 387 balls as India won the game by an innings and 141 runs. As for Gill, he has been in exceptional form, particularly in white-ball cricket, over the last year.
At a press conference ahead of the second Test against West Indies at Port of Spain, Dravid praised Jaiswal for demonstrating his versatile batting skills in his very first game for India.
“I was very pleased to see that he was willing to play an attacking game when required, but also knuckle down and be defensive and work hard for his runs when required. As a coach, nothing pleases you more than that,” the head coach said.
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On the challenges that lie ahead for the likes of Jaiswal and Gill, Dravid added:
“I know that Jaiswal and Gill will face other tougher challenges as they play more and more cricket. Teams will start getting to know them better. The challenge for Jaiswal [and Gill] is to respond to the tactics and strategies that West Indies is going to come up with in this game."
While Jaiswal scored a hundred in Dominica, Gill was dismissed for 6.
“It’s nice from our perspective” - Dravid on newcomers making an impact straightaway
The Dominica Test also marked the red-ball debut of Ishan Kishan. The keeper-batter was impressive behind the stumps on a tricky wicket.
Expressing gladness over both Jaiswal and Kishan making an impact in their first Test, Dravid commented:
“It’s nice from our perspective, as a coach for me, [for players] to come in and perform straightaway and do really well - whether it’s Yashasvi in the last game or the way Shubman has grown over the last 6-8 months. Even seeing the way Ishan [Kishan] just came in and kept in the last game - on a difficult wicket, he did a really good job."
Admitting that Indian cricket is going through a transition phase, Dravid credited the domestic system and the environment around the Indian team for making the process smooth.
The 50-year-old stated:
“A lot of young players are able to come in and perform straight away when they come into the Indian team. A lot of credit of that should also go to the domestic system, producing these kinds of players, especially in the batting department. Also, the relaxed environment that the team has been able to create allows young players to come in and express themselves.
“A lot of players even in T20s and one-dayers have come through really well. Credit to the domestic season, the NCA and a lot of other people, who can make that possible for us,” Dravid concluded.
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India will face West Indies in the second Test at Port of Spain in Trinidad from July 20 to 24.