Veteran Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has offered his insights into the batting of the young and in-form Yashasvi Jaiswal, suggesting a strategy for bowlers to exploit his vulnerability, particularly in the early stages of his innings. Pujara's comments came after Jaiswal's impressive knock of 87 runs off 107 balls on Day 1 of the second Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Jaiswal, who is 23 years old, has had a promising start to his England tour, including a century in the first Test. In the second Test, he demonstrated his aggressive intent with 13 boundaries, contributing significantly to India's solid start. However, just as he appeared set for his sixth Test century, he was dismissed by Chris Woakes.
Pujara observed that while Jaiswal had a few nervous moments early on, he settled in well and adapted to the conditions and the English attack. Pujara noted that Jaiswal doesn't miss scoring opportunities, making it challenging for the bowling team. He can drive well if the ball is pitched up, cut well if it's short outside off-stump, and pull confidently against bumpers, leaving a minimal margin of error for bowlers.
Analyzing Jaiswal's batting, Pujara pointed out a potential area of vulnerability. He advised bowlers to consistently target the good length area around off-stump and maintain patience. According to Pujara, left-handed batsmen are more susceptible in that area if bowlers consistently bowl the right length and remain patient. "You've got to bowl the right length - around off-stump, on a good length. Keep doing that and wait for him to make a mistake," Pujara told broadcasters after the day's play.
Pujara also noted that Jaiswal seemed to be trying too hard to play shots early in his innings. However, once he settled down, his stroke play was outstanding, and he gained complete control. Pujara emphasized that Jaiswal capitalizes on every loose delivery, making him a nightmare for bowlers once he finds his rhythm.
In three innings of the ongoing Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy, Jaiswal has amassed 192 runs at an average of 64. His highest score was 101 in the first innings of the opening Test.
Pujara's advice echoes his previous suggestions to Jaiswal during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he advised the young opener to temper his aggression and be more patient at the crease. Pujara had observed that Jaiswal was rushing his batting approach and should take more time to settle in. He drew a comparison to Virender Sehwag, who, despite being an aggressive player, would only play shots when the ball was pitched in his hitting zone. Pujara suggested that Jaiswal could learn from KL Rahul's approach, focusing on solid defense and capitalizing on fuller deliveries.