India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal returned to form with a much-needed century for India A against New Zealand A on the fourth and final day of the second unofficial Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Tuesday.
The left-handed batter registered his 18th First-Class hundred, delivering an impressive performance after a difficult run of low scores in red-ball cricket.
Jaiswal’s innings came at an important time for India A, who were looking to recover from a first-innings deficit and build a competitive second-innings total.
The final day’s play began 100 minutes behind schedule, adding further pressure on the visiting side to make the most of the remaining time.
India A suffered early setbacks when Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal were dismissed cheaply, leaving the team in a challenging position.
However, Jaiswal responded positively, taking an aggressive approach against the New Zealand A bowling attack.
The young opener showed excellent footwork and attacking intent, using his feet effectively to counter the movement offered by the Kiwi bowlers.
He found valuable support from Yash Rathod, with the pair putting together an important partnership that helped India A erase the deficit.
Their attacking approach also allowed the visitors to move towards a substantial second-innings score after losing early wickets.
The century will come as a major confidence boost for Jaiswal, who has struggled to produce significant scores in recent red-ball appearances.
During India’s Test series in Sri Lanka, the opener failed to register a single half-century, raising concerns over his recent batting form.
His struggles continued in domestic cricket, where he was dismissed for a duck in his only Ranji Trophy appearance of the season.
Jaiswal also endured a disappointing start to the New Zealand A tour, managing scores of just 17 and five in the first unofficial Test.
He failed to make an impact in the first innings of the second unofficial Test as well, making his fourth-day century particularly significant.
The innings demonstrated his ability to respond under pressure and regain confidence against a challenging bowling attack.
With India’s upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand approaching, Jaiswal’s return to scoring form provides an encouraging sign for the national team.
India will hope the talented opener can maintain this momentum and deliver similar performances at the international level.
For Jaiswal, the century represents an important turnaround after several disappointing outings and offers a timely opportunity to rebuild his confidence ahead of another major Test assignment.
