Youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal made a dream debut as he smashed an impressive century in the first Test between West Indies and India. On Day 2, Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 143 off 350 deliveries, with the help of 14 boundaries, as India dominated proceedings and finished the day on 312 for the loss of just two wickets.
The highlight of the day was the record-breaking opening partnership between Jaiswal and captain Rohit Sharma. The pair stitched together a remarkable 229-run stand, surpassing the previous record of 201 set by Virender Sehwag and Sanjay Bangar in 2002. Rohit played a pivotal role in the innings, scoring 103 off 221 deliveries, including ten fours and two sixes.
Jaiswal’s century on debut made him the 17th Indian batter to achieve this feat in Test cricket. His solid performance has put him in contention to become the first Indian player to score a double century on debut. With a lead of 162 runs, India will look to extend their advantage in the match.
Several other significant milestones were achieved on Day 2. Jaiswal faced the most deliveries (350) by an Indian on debut in Test cricket, surpassing Mohammad Azharuddin’s record of 322. Rohit’s century also elevated him to the fourth position alongside Sachin Tendulkar for registering seven centuries against West Indies in all formats.
In a historic first, India took the lead in the first innings without losing a wicket. This achievement highlights the strong performance of the Indian openers. Furthermore, Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 36 took him past Virender Sehwag’s tally of Test runs, making him the fifth-highest run-scorer for India in the format.
The match also witnessed a significant milestone for Indian cricket. For the sixth time, both Indian openers registered a century in an away Test, joining an elite list of partnerships that includes legends such as Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid.
Jaiswal’s unbeaten 143 also marked the highest individual score for India on Test debut outside of Asia, surpassing Sourav Ganguly’s record of 131. Rohit’s century took him to joint-fourth with Steven Smith amongst active players for hitting the most centuries in international cricket.
Overall, Day 2 of the first Test between West Indies and India showcased a stellar performance from Yashasvi Jaiswal on his debut, a record-breaking opening partnership, and several other significant milestones. The Indian team will now look to build on their solid position on Day 3 and put more pressure on the West Indies.