Yashasvi Jaiswal and Brian Lara after stumps on Day 2 (Screengrab/BCCI)

Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a sparkling 175 off 258 balls in India’s first innings of the second Test against West Indies at Arun Jaitley Stadium, only to fall victim to a rare mix-up with skipper Shubman Gill. Despite the premature dismissal, the 23-year-old left-hander’s innings was a display of maturity and composure, featuring 22 boundaries and putting him alongside Graeme Smith as one of the youngest to score 150+ runs five times in Test cricket before turning 24.

After the game, Jaiswal shared a heartwarming moment with West Indies legend Brian Lara near the boundary line. Lara, jokingly pleading with the young batter, said, “Don’t beat our bowlers that bad,” to which Jaiswal replied politely that he was just “trying.” In a video shared by the BCCI, Jaiswal reflected on his approach during the innings, saying, “I always put the team first, how I can play for my team and what is important for my team at that moment. This then gives me the answer to how I can play, what shots I can play and if I’m there, I make sure that I take it as long as I can. My mindset is that if I have a start, I should make it big.” The young batter also praised his partnerships with Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill, highlighting how they rotated the strike effectively and attacked loose deliveries to maintain pressure on the bowlers.Watch the interaction here Jaiswal’s innings marked his seventh Test century and came close to being a double hundred, which would have been his third in Tests following two double centuries during the 2024 series against England. His performance drew admiration not only from fans but also from cricketing greats, including Sunil Gavaskar, who lauded his shot-making and consistency.

This innings strengthened Jaiswal’s growing reputation as one of India’s most promising young batters, capable of lasting long into the innings, while also displaying tactical awareness and maturity.