Alastair Cook lauds ‘classy player’ Yashasvi Jaiswal for 1st BGT Test heroics against Australia

Former England Test captain Sir Alastair Cook showered praise on Yashasvi Jaiswal after his heroics in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy against Australia. Jaiswal was dismissed for a blob in the first innings while attempting a big drive on the off-side but he could only manage an outside edge.

However, the left-hander made a stunning comeback in the second innings as he scored a magnum opus knock of 161 runs off 297 balls with the help of 15 fours and three maximums. Jaiswal also added 201 runs with KL Rahul for the opening stand, which is the highest partnership for India in Australian conditions.

Jaiswal also poked Mitchell Starc, telling the gun fast bowler that he is bowling slow even when he was yet to complete his hundred.

“We’ve seen his celebration enough here, but it’s more enjoyable against Australia than England. And sledging Mitchell Starc, saying at a certain stage, I think he wasn’t on 100, he wasn’t on anything on a major score, but he’s telling him you’re bowling slow. And I’ve faced Mitchell Starc and he certainly doesn’t bowl slow,” Alastair Cook said on TNT Sports.

“And if he was bowling slow, I’d keep my mouth shut and not wind him up, but have the confidence to do that as a 22-year-old. I think he scored the most runs as any Indian player up to after 15 test matches at the top of the order, which I’ll keep saying it, no one else believes me, it’s the hardest place to bat. What a classy player he is.”

The former England opener admitted he was surprised with the way India hammered Australia by 295 runs in the opening Test.

“I was surprised. I was surprised that India have gone there and hammered Australia in what normally is a very hard place to go and play cricket, Perth. I know it’s not the WACA. I know it’s the new stadium, but still, historically, Australia don’t lose many games there,” said Cook.

The second Test match between Australia and India, which will be a pink-ball game, will be played at Adelaide Oval from December 6 onwards.