India's young and flamboyant opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was rewarded for his persistent hard work as the southpaw struck his second Test century of his career on day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and England in Visakhapatnam on Friday (February 2).
Playing first on a batting-friendly deck, Jaiswal made the most out of the conditions and smashed his century in just 151 balls.
The southpaw came into the 2nd Test on the back of a half-century (80) in the series opener at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. After accumulating a single run in the very first over of the game against James Anderson, Jaiswal broke free in the second while facing Joe Root and struck two fours to get India's boundary count for the game underway.
Jaiswal's first boundary was fortuitous. He slapped a length ball in the air but fortunately for him, it cleared the cover point and trickled away to the boundary. The youngster played two dot balls before driving Root between cover and point for yet another four.
He lost his opening partner Rohit Sharma in the 18th over of the innings but stitched a 49-run stand with Shubman Gill for the second wicket to help India survive the early scare.
While Gill departed at an individual score of 34, an unfazed Jaiswal continued his merry ways and struck a boundary off debutant Shoaib Bashir to complete his half-century on the third ball of the 30th over.
Jaiswal looked more composed after his half-century and made sure to frustrate the English spinners. The Mumbai batter showed intent in his 90s as he came dancing down the track to Tom Hartley on the third delivery of the 49th over and deposited the ball into the stands over long-on.
Jaiswal goes to his hundred with a gigantic six:
Here's how the cricketing fraternity reacted to Yashasvi Jaiswal's hundred on day 1 of Vizag Test:
