Yashasvi Jaiswal Celebrates First ODI Century in Series Decider Against South Africa
Jaiswal's Milestone Performance
In Visakhapatnam, Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal expressed his joy after achieving his first ODI century during the final match of the series against South Africa. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance in his innings, knowing when to be aggressive and when to play conservatively.
After scoring 18 and 22 in the previous two ODIs, Jaiswal reached his century off 111 deliveries, finishing with an impressive 116 not out from 121 balls, including 12 fours and two sixes. His performance was crucial in leading India to a nine-wicket victory, securing the series 2-1.
During the post-match interview, Jaiswal shared, "I truly enjoyed this innings. I feel grateful. Rohit and I have been discussing strategies on how to approach our batting and set targets. I aimed to convert my starts into a significant score this time. My plan was to balance my innings, knowing when to attack and when to take singles."
He also mentioned the importance of controlling his thoughts and selecting the right shots, stating that Virat Kohli's positive approach upon entering the crease helped him stay focused and achieve his goals.
"I need to manage my thoughts regarding shot selection and play as deeply as possible. Virat started playing aggressively right away, and he kept giving me small targets to focus on, which was beneficial for my innings," Jaiswal added.
In the match, India won the toss and opted to field first. South Africa's innings began poorly with Ryan Rickelton dismissed for a duck. However, a strong partnership of 113 runs between Quinton de Kock (106 runs off 89 balls) and captain Temba Bavuma (48 runs off 67 balls) stabilized their innings.
Despite a solid start, South Africa lost their way, with Prasidh Krishna taking 4 wickets for 66 runs. Kuldeep Yadav also shone with the ball, claiming 4 wickets for 41 runs, as South Africa was bowled out for 270 runs in 47.5 overs.
India successfully chased down the target in 39.5 overs, with Rohit Sharma contributing 75 runs off 73 balls and forming a 155-run partnership with Jaiswal. The latter's maiden ODI century, combined with Virat Kohli's unbeaten 65 runs, ensured a dominant series conclusion.