Yashasvi Jaiswal on Friday scored his seventh Test century and his second against the West Indies at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Jaiswal’s ton came in just 145 balls and was part of a century partnership with B Sai Sudharsan, which helped India make the West Indies toil on Day 1 of the second Test. Jaiswal is just the second batsman after South Africa legend Graeme Smith to have scored seven Test hundreds as an opener before the age of 24.
Additionally, only Sachin Tendulkar had scored more centuries than Jaiswal before the age of 24.
Jaiswal and Sudharsan took full advantage of some ordinary bowling from the West Indies after Lunch on Day 1. The visitors had been miserly throughout the first session in which India scored 94 runs in 28 overs for the loss of one wicket. Jaiswal was on 40 in 78 balls while Sudharsan had scored 16 in 36 balls. Jaiswal shared a 58-run opening stand with KL Rahul. who fell to Jomel Warrican after scoring 38 in 54 balls.
It was a different story when play resumed after Lunch though. The West Indies conceded at least one boundary every over in the first 40 minutes, resulting in India smashing 52 runs in the first 10 overs of the second session. They went on to make it 81 runs in the first hour of the session.
This Jaiswal’s third Test century in this calendar year, having played eight matches. Jaiswal has also scored two half-centuries. Considered one of the brightest batting talents in the world, Jaiswal had also scored three Test centuries in 2024. He scored a total of 1478 runs last year in 15 Tests at an average of 54.74 with nine half-centuries as well. Both of Jaiswal’s previous two centuries this year came during India’s thrilling five-match Test tour of England. Jaiswal had scored 101 in the first innings of the series and 118 in the last innings of it.
This is also Jaiswal’s second Test century against the West Indies, with the first of those being in his debut Test at Windsor Park in Dominica. He had scored 171 in that innings off 387 balls as part of a 229-run opening stand with then-captain Rohit Sharma.
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