The young Indian opener surpasses legends while his dismissal on Day 5 of the Boxing Day Test sparks debate in the cricketing world.
Melbourne [Australia], December 31: Young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal etched his name in history during the fifth day of the fourth Test against Australia, becoming the third-highest Indian run-scorer in a single calendar year in Test cricket. Despite a controversial dismissal, Jaiswal’s performance stood out as a testament to his talent and resilience.
Jaiswal Joins Elite Company
Jaiswal scored an impressive 84 runs off 208 balls, including eight boundaries, at a strike rate of 40.38. With this knock, the left-handed batter took his 2024 calendar year tally to 1,478 runs, surpassing several Indian cricketing stalwarts.
He now stands third on the prestigious list of most runs scored by an Indian batter in a calendar year:
- Sachin Tendulkar: 1,562 runs (2010)
- Sunil Gavaskar: 1,555 runs (1979)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: 1,478 runs (2024)
- Virender Sehwag: 1,462 runs (2008), 1,422 runs (2010)
Controversial Dismissal Raises Eyebrows
The fifth day of the Boxing Day Test saw a moment of intense drama during Jaiswal’s dismissal. In the 71st over, Pat Cummins bowled a short delivery that Jaiswal attempted to pull. Australia appealed, but the on-field umpire turned it down.
Cummins immediately opted for a Decision Review System (DRS) referral. The replay showed a visible deflection of the ball as it passed Jaiswal’s gloves, but the Snickometer failed to register any spike. Despite the lack of technical evidence, the third umpire Sharfuddoula overturned the on-field decision based on visual confirmation.
The decision triggered heated discussions among cricket experts and fans worldwide, with many questioning the reliability of technology in such critical moments.
A Year to Remember for Jaiswal
While the dismissal remains a talking point, Jaiswal’s stellar consistency with the bat throughout 2024 cements his status as one of India’s most promising batting talents.
As India heads into the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, all eyes will be on Jaiswal to continue his outstanding run and help India level the series.
