December 24, 2024: Ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India captain Rohit Sharma has expressed his confidence in young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, praising his natural talent and backing him to bounce back after a string of low scores in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Jaiswal’s early performances in the series were impressive, particularly his brilliant knock of 161 off 297 balls in the second innings at Perth. However, since then, the 22-year-old has struggled to get going, with several ducks and single-digit scores. He has also had particular difficulty facing Australia’s ace pacer, Mitchell Starc, with whom he had some on-field banter during the first Test.
Despite these recent setbacks, Rohit remains fully supportive of Jaiswal’s ability. “Look, Jaiswal has already shown what he’s capable of. He’s coming here for the first time, and he’s already made an impact,” said Rohit in a pre-match press conference. “He’s got so much talent, and when you have a guy like that in your team, you don’t want to tamper too much with his mindset. Let him be as free as possible and not overburdened with too many thoughts regarding his batting.”
Rohit also emphasized that Jaiswal understands his game better than anyone else and that the team’s role is to simply encourage him to play his natural game. “He understands his batting more than any one of us,” the skipper added. “And when you have a talent like that, all you want to do is encourage him to just go out there and play his game freely.”
Jaiswal’s impressive record in international cricket so far speaks volumes about his potential. In 17 Tests, he has accumulated 1,600 runs at an average of 53.33, including four centuries and eight fifties, with his highest score being an unbeaten 214. This year alone, he has made 1,312 runs in 14 Tests at an average of 52.48, further cementing his status as one of India’s brightest young talents.
Rohit further highlighted Jaiswal’s adaptability, saying that the youngster is capable of playing both an aggressive, dominating game and a more defensive, holding role, depending on the situation. “He’s got the ability to play all sorts of games, whether it is a holding game or trying to dominate the game,” Rohit explained. “It’s just about figuring out certain areas of his game, which I’m sure he’s doing with the help of others, especially those who have played in Australia before.”
Australia’s bowlers, particularly their seamers, are known for posing unique challenges, and Rohit acknowledged the need for Jaiswal to adapt to different conditions and tactics. “Every venue here has different challenges, so it’s just about adapting to those challenges, playing on different pitches,” he said. “The bowlers are the same—they’ve got four seamers in their squad, one off-spinner, and they are the ones who play consistent cricket for them.”
Despite his recent struggles, Rohit is adamant that Jaiswal’s natural game is what will make him successful in the long run. “With someone like Jaiswal, you don’t want to tell him too many things about his own batting. We want him to play the way he plays. That’s how, at the top, he can be very, very dangerous,” the Indian captain said.
As the series stands level at 1-1 after the drawn third Test in Brisbane, both India and Australia will be looking to seize the upper hand in the Boxing Day Test, with the match set to start on December 26. For Jaiswal, it will be another chance to prove his mettle and make a significant contribution in a high-stakes encounter.
