IND vs AUS: Yashasvi Jaiswal says: ‘I played with a fearless mindset, took bold decisions’

Latest update:Nov 24, 2024 06:10 PM IST

Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 161 after being dismissed for an eight-ball duck and scored a hundred in his first Test in Australia.

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Yashasvi Jaiswal scores 161 (AP)

Yashasvi Jaiswal credited his “fearless mindset” and ability to make “bold decisions” as the catalysts for his exceptional hundred against Australia in the ongoing first Test on Sunday.

Jaiswal made 161 in only his second innings on Australian soil and added 201 runs for the first wicket with K.L. Rahul (77) to lay the foundation for India’s impressive target of 533 runs.

“It was a special moment for me. I have always wanted to tour Australia and do well and this knock is very important for me,” Jaiswal said at a press conference after the day.

“I always wanted to play with a fearless mindset. I always believe in myself and make bold decisions. So it was an amazing experience to play against such skilled bowlers in their country and it is something special to score a hundred against the best players in the world,” he added.

Jaiswal, who was dismissed for an eight-ball duck in the first innings, said the focus was on nullifying the new spell with the ball from the Australian fast bowlers.

“The wicket looked a little better in the first innings. In the second innings we discussed how best to play with the new ball – which balls to keep and which ones to play. So it was important for the team that I play better with the new ball.” Jaiswal said he set small goals for himself in the second essay.

“I never thought I would get such a big hundred as my goals were small, going session by session. Then I had a good partnership with (KL) Rahul Bhai. He guided me through the partnership, so that was helpful.” So, what was the conversation between him and Rahul during the alliance? “We’ve been playing together for a while now, we all know each other well and talk to each other in the dressing room.

“Whenever I felt nervous in the middle of a performance, Rahul bhai would tell me to stay focused and calm. It was helpful because you can get some good balls on these pitches,” he said.

The left-hander said the team was prepared to handle the rebound in Perth.

“We knew the ball would bounce here. We were ready for the rebound. We had a good camp going into this test. We trained in similar conditions with the same mindset of how we can score in these conditions. It’s all about training hard and learning what shots to use,” he explained.

Jaiswal collected his fourth Test hundred thanks to a remarkable six-run layup off pacer Josh Hazlewood. The 22-year-old said he was mentally prepared for this.

“To be honest, I knew he was going to hit the bouncer because the pitch was set up that way and I was ready for the bounce and I was ready to take that shot. I’m happy that I was able to do this and continue for some time,” he said.

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“Virat paaji is incredible”

Virat Kohli brought up his 30th Test hundred some time after Jaiswal reached the landmark and the youngster said he was honored to watch and play alongside the star batter.

“I saw Virat Paaji perform in Perth (in 2018) on TV. Now I also saw it live. He’s been doing this for a very, very long time. So he’s just incredible.

“We were so happy for him that he was able to finish it. We were all waiting for his 100th mark. He played amazing,” he said.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency – PTI feed)