Yashasvi Jaiswal, the India opener, has joined a select group of cricketers by playing his 30th Test match at a 30th different venue. This milestone occurred during the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium. He now shares this distinction with former India batters Sanjay Manjrekar and Sachin Tendulkar.
Jaiswal’s journey in Test cricket began in July 2023 against the West Indies in Roseau, where he scored 171 on debut. Since then, each of his subsequent Test appearances has been at a new ground. His 30 venues span multiple continents, including the Caribbean, South Africa, England, Australia, and various locations in India and Sri Lanka. This pattern highlights the extensive travel and diverse playing conditions encountered early in his career.
A Unique Record in Test Cricket
The achievement places Jaiswal alongside cricketing legends. Sanjay Manjrekar played his first 33 Tests at 33 different venues, while Sachin Tendulkar featured at 32 separate venues across his first 32 Test matches. Jaiswal’s current record through 30 Tests matches the early sequence of these two prominent players.
The variety of venues reflects the demanding schedule of international cricket, with India hosting matches across numerous domestic grounds and undertaking extensive overseas tours. Jaiswal’s consistent appearance at a new venue for each Test underscores the wide-ranging nature of his early career.
In the Galle Test, Jaiswal’s innings concluded after he scored 32 runs off 37 balls, which included five fours. His dismissal was a run-out following a mix-up with KL Rahul. During an attempt to take a single, Jaiswal reportedly slipped after being obstructed by Sri Lankan fielder Keshara Nuwantha. Both batters ended up at the same end, with Rahul reaching the crease first.
India’s Innings Progress
Earlier in the match, India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first. Jaiswal opened the scoring with a boundary in the first over, playing a flick off Asitha Fernando. He then hit two more fours off Lahiru Kumara in the sixth over, contributing to India’s score of 22/0. After 10 overs, India reached 39/0.
Following Jaiswal’s dismissal, India reached 101/1 at lunch on Day 1. KL Rahul and Devdutt Padikkal then stabilized the innings. The pair continued to score, taking India past the 100-run mark in the 26th over. At lunch, Rahul was unbeaten on 32 runs off 77 balls, including four fours and a six, while Padikkal was not out on 35 runs off 49 balls, with five boundaries. The duo had added an unbeaten 54 runs for the second wicket.
Jaiswal’s career statistics in Tests include 2567 runs in 55 innings, with seven centuries and 13 half-centuries. His highest score is an unbeaten 214, and his batting average stands at 48.43.
The India squad for the match included Shubman Gill (C), K.L. Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Rishabh Pant (wkt), Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, and Prasidh Krishna. The Sri Lanka squad comprised Dhananjaya de Silva (C), Lahiru Udara, Nishan Madushka, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sonal Dinusha, Niroshan Dickwella (wkt), Prabath Jayasuriya, Keshara Nuwantha, Asitha Fernando, and Lahiru Kumara.
Jaiswal’s 30 Test venues include Roseau, Port of Spain, Centurion, Cape Town, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi, Dharamsala, Chennai, Kanpur, Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Leeds, Birmingham, Lord’s, Manchester, The Oval, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Kolkata, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, and Galle.
Source: livemint.com
