In the 2nd Test between West Indies and India, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal fell just 2 runs short of achieving their third consecutive hundred-plus opening stand. Despite narrowly missing the milestone, the duo provided India with a flying start in their second innings on Saturday.
In brief,
Rohit and Yashasvi scored 98 runs in just 71 balls during India’s 2nd innings. Throughout the 2-Test series in West Indies, the pair accumulated a total of 466 runs. Additionally, Rohit Sharma achieved his fastest Test fifty on Day 4 in Port of Spain.
Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been highly impressive as an opening pair in their debut series together. On Day 4 of the 2nd Test between India and West Indies in Port of Spain, they came close to making history by missing out on a third consecutive hundred-plus opening stand by just 2 runs. The duo was aggressive from the start, adding 98 runs in a mere 71 balls before India lost their captain.
After Mohammed Siraj’s superb 5-wicket haul on Sunday morning, which restricted West Indies to 255-all out, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal continued to dominate, indicating that India was aiming to set a steep target for the hosts.
Rohit Sharma’s blistering innings of 57 runs came off just 44 balls, earning him his fastest Test fifty (in just 35 balls). Yashasvi Jaiswal also displayed positive intent, remaining unbeaten on 37 from 28 runs before early Lunch was taken due to rain at the Queen’s Park Oval on Sunday. During the first session of Day 4, Rohit hit 5 boundaries and 3 sixes, benefiting from some ordinary catching by the West Indies.
Although they fell short of becoming the first Indian opening pair to achieve three hundred-plus partnerships in a bilateral Test series, Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal still managed to accumulate an impressive 466 runs as an opening duo in the 2-Test series. This tally ranks as the third-highest for an Indian opening pair in a bilateral Test series.
In the first Test match held in Dominica, the opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma showcased their prowess by forging an outstanding 229-run partnership for the first wicket. This was a momentous occasion as it marked the debut of Yashasvi Jaiswal, a promising talent hailing from Suriya, Uttar Pradesh. Despite the pressure of his first international game, Jaiswal displayed exceptional skill and composure, amassing a majestic 171 runs. His performance not only broke the record for the highest score by an Indian batter on debut in an overseas Test but also earned him the distinction of being the 17th Indian player to score a century on debut in Test cricket.
In the company of Yashasvi Jaiswal, the seasoned campaigner and current captain of the Indian cricket team, Rohit Sharma, also excelled. He notched up his 10th Test century during the match, further solidifying his position as one of India’s premier run-scorers in international cricket. Together, their outstanding display resulted in the highest opening partnership for India in the West Indies, surpassing the previous record set by Sunil Gavaskar and Chetan Chauhan in 1979 against England at the Oval.
Moving on to the second Test match held in Port of Spain, the dynamic duo continued their impressive form. They once again shared a century-plus partnership, adding 139 runs for the first wicket. This achievement made them the fourth opening pair in Indian cricket history to record two century partnerships in away Test matches. Moreover, their consistent performances put an end to India’s 24-year wait for two consecutive century stands by the openers in Tests, with the last such feat achieved by Sadagopan Ramesh and Devang Gandhi in 1999 against New Zealand.