ENG vs IND, 4th Test: For Jaiswal, time to take fresh guard at Old Trafford
As Yashasvi Jaiswal hit the nets at the Beckenham County Ground, India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel marked his run up.
Over the next thirty odd minutes, Jaiswal faced the South African and looked at ease picking him up. It seemed to be a move to counter Jofra Archer, who dismissed the Indian batter in both innings of the Lord’s Test — for 13 and 0.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, however, said there were no such plans, and Morkel bowled in the nets since Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep took rest.
After every few deliveries, Morkel walked up to Jaiswal and discussed a thing or two. Even after Morkel went on the other end to monitor other bowlers, Jaiswal continued his session, facing the local net bowlers.
Jaiswal began the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with a century in Leeds and followed up with an 87 in Birmingham. However, things went awry at Lord’s as he struggled to get going.
More than the low scores, his shot selection in the second innings drew flak. At a time when every run mattered, Jaiswal needed to hold the fort. However, with an ambitious pull against Archer, he ended up offering a catch to Jamie Smith.
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Having been beaten by Chris Woakes a few times in the previous over seemed to have rattled him, tempting him to play an attacking stroke in desperation.
The social media went abuzz with fans raising questions over his temperament, former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, too, did not mince his words. “Jaiswal getting out — really bad shot. I’m surprised he just didn’t look to cut it over the off-side. He is the player who moves the scoreboard forward. In a low chase, when you are defending, if you come to bowl and you’ve got a Sehwag, Warner, the opening batters that can take the game away from you and they up 60 for none or one off ten, the game is sort of done,” Broad said on For The Love Of Cricket podcast.
This, however, was not the first instance when a poor shot cost Jaiswal his wicket. At Edgbaston, England captain Ben Stokes lured him into slashing outside the off-stump, and he was caught behind. In the second innings, he was trapped leg before off a Josh Tongue delivery while attempting a drive.
The data suggests, of the 233 runs that he has scored in the series so far, 77 have come through drives, 51 from cuts, while he has left 49 deliveries in six innings. He has fallen twice trying to defend off the backfoot and driving in as many occasions.
With the Old Trafford surface expected to be slightly easy-paced, it will be important for Jaiswal to value his wicket and be consistent.
