Yashasvi Jaiswal headlines nominees for ICC Men's Player of the Month honors for February
A batting exhibition sums up the month of February as three top-order batters, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kane Williamson, and Pathum Nissanka, have been nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month award.
While Jaiswal and Williamson ruled the roost in Tests, Nissanka enjoyed record-breaking success in the white-ball formats.
Coming to the young Indian opener, it was a month to remember as Jaiswal carried an inexperienced batting lineup to an unassailable 3-1 series lead against England. After India's shocking defeat in the series opener at the end of January, Jaiswal took matters into his own hands with back-to-back double centuries in the second and third Tests.
The southpaw produced another valuable 73 in the first innings of the fourth Test in Ranchi and capped the month off with a vital 38 in India's successful run-chase of 192.
From topping the run-scoring charts for the ongoing 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle to becoming the third youngest to score two 200s in Tests, Jaiswal relished a month like very few have. He finished February with a remarkable 560 runs in three Tests at an average of 112.
Meanwhile, Kane Williamson produced similar heroics to Jaiswal in the home Test series against South Africa. The champion batter scored centuries in both innings of New Zealand's opening Test win at Mount Maunganui.
Williamson then demolished the hapless Proteas attack, scoring a match-winning 133* in a stiff run-chase of 267 in the second Test. The 33-year-old also became the fastest to 32 Test centuries by innings (172), bettering Steve Smith's 174.
Coming to Nissanka, his batting in the ODI series against Afghanistan left fans spellbound. The opening batter became the first Sri Lankan to score a double-century with his 210* in the first ODI.
Nissanka scored another brilliant century in the finale to help the Lankans complete the series whitewash. The 25-year-old also scored an unbeaten 60 in the final T20I of the three-match series against Afghanistan.
Yashasvi Jaiswal eyeing Sunil Gavaskar's single-series record in Dharamsala
Yashasvi Jaiswal has already entered into rarified air by becoming only the fifth Indian batter to score 600+ runs in a Test series. He joined Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, and Dilip Sardesai during India's fourth Test win over England in Ranchi.
With the series finale in Dharamsala still to go, Jaiswal has an incredible opportunity to make history and become the record holder for most runs in a single series by an Indian.
Sunil Gavaskar currently sits on top with 774 runs that he amassed during the 1970-71 series in the West Indies. Jaiswal is on 655 runs and will need another 120 in the series finale against England to accomplish the historic feat.
The record for most runs in a Test series across nations belongs to Sir Donald Bradman, with 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes.