India’s batting sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal had a spectacular debut in his Test career, making a remarkable start against England during the home series in March 2024. He excelled in his first Test series, accumulating a record score of 712, which also saw him climb into the top 10 of the ICC Test batting rankings. Nevertheless, he has faced challenges with consistency later on, including an unremarkable IPL season with Rajasthan Royals and being benched for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, in which India triumphed.
Ahead of India’s upcoming Test series against Bangladesh, Jaiswal’s performance raised concerns within the Indian camp. Notably, head coach Gautam Gambhir and former captain Virat Kohli had to step in to address the situation. As reported by the Indian Express, Kohli witnessed Jasprit Bumrah dismiss Jaiswal while the farmer captain was waiting for his turn to bat. Notably, Jaiswal’s struggle prompted the veteran to speak with the youngster.
It is worth noting that the 22-year-old’s struggle extended beyond his dismissal by Bumrah. He also faced difficulties with Akash Deep, who had troubled him during their recent Duleep Trophy match, as well as speedster Mohammed Siraj and Yudhvir Singh, the net bowler from Jammu and Kashmir. Witnessing Jaiswal’s continued struggle, Gambhir intervened, taking the batter to the nets for a 20-minute training session. He has offered advice on refining his technique and getting behind the line of the ball.
India are entering a busy season, starting with the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19. The first match is scheduled to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and the second will be contested at Green Park in Kanpur from September 27. Following this, they play a three-match T20I series against Bangladesh before hosting New Zealand for three Tests. India will then travel to South Africa for a T20I series, where they will play four matches.
However, India’s tour of Australia later this year is a major highlight. Australia’s premier spinner Nathan Lyon and captain Pat Cummins have expressed their anticipation for the challenge of facing Jaiswal, who has set a high standard with his intense style of play against England.
It is worth noting that Jaiswal showed no struggles against spin bowlers in the longest format of the game. This will be crucial for India in their upcoming series against Bangladesh. During the practice session in Chennai, he was observed hitting powerful shots off the spinners.
