Day 2 witnessed old records broken and new records made
On day 2 of the first test of the ongoing test series between team India and the West Indies, India’s new opening pair of skipper Rohit Sharma and the debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal, created history. With the duo’s double-century stand of 229 runs, they surpassed Virendra Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer’s record of 159 in 2006, the highest opening partnership for India against West Indies, away from their homeland.
Both openers, Rohit and Yashasvi become centurions
During their 229-run opening partnership, skipper Rohit Sharma and debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal set new highs.
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal during their 229 runs stand on day 2. pic credit: espncricinfo
While Rohit Sharma scored his 10th hundred, and only 2nd on foreign soil, Yashaswi Jaiswal hit his maiden test hundred that too in his debut match. The debutant took 215 balls to reach the milestone. The duo’s stand of 229 is the highest opening stand for India in Tests outside Asia. The previous high was 213 in 1979, at the Oval, between Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar. It is also India’s third-highest opening stand away from home.
Legacy of Sehwag and Jaffer follows
In the Gros Isles test, between team India and the West Indies, India looked in total control of the match from day 1. The West Indies were not able to trouble the Indian batters as the Indian cruised to 150 for 0 till the second session. By then, Virender Sehwag had already scored his hundred and Wasim Jaffer 37. Sehwag seemed nowhere in trouble, scored freely, and played his natural way.
Yashasvi Jaiswal making his mark
On completing his maiden test century in his debut match, the opener Yashasvi Jaiswal became the 17th Indian opener to score a Test century. Jaiswal batted the whole day to achieve a new record remaining unbeaten. While taking time to score his runs first test run, 16 balls to get off the mark, he played steadily and got comfortable with the pitch’s pace and bounce. He took just 31 balls in reaching 71 to 100 run mark.
The first-timer batted like a pro in a situation that demanded class and experience. It was a fairy-tale moment when Yashasvi Jaiswal scored the single to complete his century. He took off his helmet, raised his arms, lifted his face up to the sky, and celebrate with joy. It was at this time to realize that he was just 21, to achieve this milestone and his way ahead to go.
His innings become more remarkable because conditions in Dominica are of the kind where debut centuries are tough to hit. The pitch is slow, with unpredictable turns and spongy bounce, and the outfield is even slower. The conditions were so tough that Virat Kohli took 80 balls to hit his first boundary.
In Dominica, Yashasvi Jaiswal hit shots with fluency. His drives went straight to fielders. He watched the ball’s movement with a steady head and punched the ball back to the bowlers. And he has not finished yet. He is happy to be still out there yet. He has a lot of work to do with still three days left for the match.
India in total control of the match
With 3 days remaining in the match, taking the lead of 162 runs, team India is undoubtedly in total control of the match with 312 runs on board and 8 wickets in hand. With the centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal on the crease with run machine Virat Kohli, India will try to take a huge lead in the first innings. India will definitely try to bowl out West Indies and try to win the match with an innings.