India's Yashasvi Jaiswal joins exclusive club featuring Sobers, Cook, de Villiers
Oct 25, 2024
Pune (Mahrashtra) [India], October 25 : India's young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal on Friday became just the fifth batter to score 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year before turning 23.
During India's second Test against New Zealand in Pune, Jaiswal, 22, kept composure and slammed 30(60) before losing his wicket on Day 2. His short-lived 30-run knock on Day 2 was enough to take his overall tally past the 1,000 Test-run mark in 2024.
After crossing the landmark feat, Jaiswal entered an exclusive club that features four cricketing icons apart from him. The southpaw became just the fifth batter to score 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year before turning 23.
The exclusive club features batting legends, including Garfield Sobers (1,193 Test runs in 1958), Graeme Smith (1,198 Test runs in 2003), AB de Villiers (1,008 Test runs in 2005) and Alastair Cook (1,013 Test runs in 2006).
He also joined England's charismatic Joe Root and became just the second batter to notch up 1,000 Test runs in 2024.
Jaiswal's promising knock was brought to an end by New Zealand's part-time spinner Glenn Phillips. In his very first over, Jaiswal bent forward to defend the ball but failed to cover the turn on the front foot. The ball turned enough to force out an edge and travel Mitchell at the slip.
Overall, the 22-year-old opener has scored 1,007 runs in 10 Test matches in 2024 at a whopping average of 59.23 and striking aggressively at 75.88.
After Jaiswal's dismissal, India were reduced to 70/4, and the floodgates were left open. Mitchell Santner made inroads and allowed New Zealand to seize control over the Test and the series.
With a seven-wicket haul, while giving away just 53 runs in his 19.3-over spell, Santner orchestrated India's downfall by restricting them to a score of 156 and allowing the Kiwis to take a massive 103-run lead.
In reply, New Zealand went all guns blazing from the first over, picking Ravichandran Ashwin's spell apart by pulling off a wide range of sweep shots. India spinners fired back and removed four opposition batters to keep their bid alive of victory and save the series.
