Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Yashasvi Jaiswal's double hundred in Rajkot Test vs England ft. Sanjay Manjrekar
Emerging Indian batter, Yashasvi Jaiswal, made the headlines yet again following his match-winning double hundred in the second innings of the third Test against England in Rajkot. The left-handed batter scored an unbeaten 214 runs off 236 deliveries, including a record-breaking 12 sixes.
Jaiswal recorded a double ton in Team India's win over England in the second Test as well. As a result, became only the third Indian batter after Vinod Kambli and Virat Kohli to score successive double-hundreds in Tests.
The leading run-scorer of the series so far, Jaiswal has cemented his spot at the top of the order and has made quite a bright start to his international career. Although Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma, was hesitant in praising the youngster to not put any undue pressure, the rest of the world could not resist hailing the emerging superstar.
On that note, let us take a look at the top five expert reactions to Yashasvi Jaiswal's double hundred in the Rajkot Test.
#1 Sanjay Manjrekar
Former India batter, Sanjay Manjrekar, was full of praise for the youngster as he dissected the innings post India's record win in Rajkot to claim the series lead. Manjrekar praised Yashasvi Jaiswal's ability to switch gears as well as his ability across both defence and attack.
"Yashasvi Jaiswal is a special talent that he can play defensively for 50 balls with good technique against the new ball and then unleashes and gets into T20 mode immediately," Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.
"And the 12 sixes were very modern in that they were going into the stands. And it's not only one range, he hit some mind-boggling shots. It's really tragic that despite getting two double centuries, he doesn't end up as the Player of the Match," he added.
#2 Alastair Cook
Former England skipper, Alastair Cook, who is on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to batting at the top of the order in terms of aggression, made a startling observation. He remarked that Jaiswal had now scored more sixes in a single innings than he had done across his entire career.
The statistics back his claims as well, with Cook having scored one six less in his 161 Test career than Jaiswal's tally from the rampage in Rajkot.
"Yashasvi Jaiswal hit more sixes in an innings than I did in my entire career," Cook told TNT Sports.
#3 Michael Vaughan
The former England skipper had already shortlisted Jaiswal as the biggest threat to the visitors in the series. Following the left-handed batter's recent exploits, Michael Vaughan has elevated his praise to a whole new level. He compared Jaiswal to former Indian opener, Virender Sehwag, and backed Yashasvi Jaiswal to dominate all formats of the game in the near future.
“India has a new Virender Sehwag..Yashasvi Jaiswal is a player who will destroy many attacks in all formats exactly like Viru used to do," Michael Vaughan posted on Twitter.
#4 Aakash Chopra
Former Indian opener, Aakash Chopra, compared Yashasvi Jaiswal's prolific start in international cricket to the one that Vinod Kambli had in the 1990s. The former left-handed batter was also touted for big things after breaking through the Mumbai cricket system. However, he faded away as time progressed and was never able to fulfil his true potential.
Chopra does not think that Jaiswal will meet the same ending as Kambli in current modern-day cricket. Jaiswal has managed to stay out of trouble so far, making his bat do all the talking for him, and he has a very bright future as long as it continues.
“Jaiswal is a terrific guy. He had already hit a hundred, he scored a double hundred - unbeaten 214 off 236 balls, what a player. He is playing at a different level. He hit 12 sixes despite having pain in his back. He equaled Wasim Akram's world record. He has just started playing cricket, it was just his seventh Test match, and in that, he has scored two double hundreds and a score of 171,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“He reminds you a little bit about the start of Vinod Kambli's career. He was also a left-hander who used to play spin very well. Jaiswal also plays spin very well. Of course, Kambli's career didn't pan out the way it should have because of a few off-field issues,” he added.
Chopra also praised Yashasvi Jaiswal's ability to not only record hundreds, but to convert them into big scores. The youngster has already breached the 150-run mark thrice in his budding career, and he has managed to convert those innings into a double hundred on two occasions.
“I don't think Jaiswal will have the same issue because he is very sincere, talented and hard-working. He understands the game's DNA. He took Jimmy Anderson down and how - he hit three sixes in an over. Once he reached 180, he said he won't be in a hurry. He is not satisfied with a century,” Chopra added.
#5 Ravi Shastri
The former India head coach did not have the opportunity to work closely with Yashasvi Jaiswal as he left his position in late 2021 when the latter was just breaking through the Indian Premier League (IPL) circuit.
Much like Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri suggested that Jaiswal should seriously consider honing his bowling ability so that he can be a certified match winner for India across all fronts.
"Impressed with the way (Yashasvi) Jaiswal has stepped up today. Not just with the bat, but his performance on the field too. I think going forward, he could be one of Rohit’s go-to part-time options. The ball would be in his hands – whether it’s leg-spin, off-spin or medium-pace. Jaiswal reminds me of a young Tendulkar. Busy all the time," Shastri said.
How many runs will Yashasvi Jaiswal end up scoring in the ongoing series? Let us know what you think.