Over missing out on a chance to score his second Test century on the trot on Day One of the second Test against West Indies, India’s left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal said he would learn from it and try to overcome the disappointment in future.
Put in to bat first by West Indies at Queen’s Park Oval, Jaiswal and captain Rohit Sharma shared a 139-run opening stand, before the former was out for 57 off 74 balls, giving a catch to deep gully after trying to chase a wide delivery off Jason Holder. By the time day’s play ended, India reached 288-4 in 84 overs, with Virat Kohli unbeaten on 87.
“Of course I’m disappointed, but it happens in cricket. I’ve to keep learning and make sure what I can do the next time I come in that situation. It’s okay, it’s cricket. Every time the desire is to ensure how well I can contribute and play well for the team. That’s the thought in every match — to set a good platform for the team.”
“Whenever I bat, I always try to bat for long. There’s of course disappointment when we get out. It’s cricket, we need to keep learning what we can do next time. It’s always a pleasure to play for the country, to enjoy the pressure, to enjoy the situation, enjoy the wicket, the environment,” said Jaiswal in the post-day press conference.
Jaiswal considers himself blessed that he is getting an opportunity to play alongside Kohli at the start of his Test career. Kohli is just 13 runs away from reaching his 29th Test century in his 500th match in international cricket.
“We’ve been batting well. We will think about having a good target. Let’s see what will happen tomorrow (Friday). It’s always great to watch him (Virat Kohli) bat and bat alongside him. He’s a legend and I’m blessed to play with him.”
“It’s wonderful to go out with him and learn from him. There is a lot to learn from him, so keep watching what he does outside the field and on the field. It’s a pleasure to talk to him and learn from him.”
In a dressing room with stalwarts like Kohli, Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid, Jaiswal is trying to soak in all the words of wisdom, but he’s also aware of the information which has to be kept in mind for his own progress as a cricketer on the international arena.
“Everyone has their own way of telling things, and everyone has experience. So I’ll listen to everything that’s said and see what suits my game and try doing that. If I’m around people who are experienced, and they are talking, there is some thought behind it.”
“I really like to hear them and try seeing what suits my game and try to develop my game. Getting information, experience and learning from them – small stuff — is incredible,” he concluded.