Yashasvi Jaiswal Celebrates First ODI Century in Series Decider Against South Africa

Jaiswal Reflects on His First Century and Strategy

Yashasvi Jaiswal, the Indian opener, expressed his joy after achieving his first ODI century during the final match of the series against South Africa in Visakhapatnam. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance in his innings, knowing when to be aggressive and when to rotate the strike.

After scoring 18 and 22 in the initial 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 pivotal in leading India to a nine-wicket victory, securing the series 2-1.

In the post-match interview, Jaiswal shared, "I truly enjoyed this experience. I feel grateful and blessed. Regarding my discussions with Rohit while batting, we talked extensively about our approach to setting targets and the tempo of our play. I was determined to convert my previous starts into a significant score. My strategy was to balance my innings, sometimes being aggressive and at other times opting for singles to keep the game flowing."

Support from Virat Kohli

Jaiswal highlighted the importance of mental control, shot selection, and batting deep while being aggressive when necessary. He noted that Virat Kohli's positive approach upon entering the crease provided him with small, manageable targets to maintain focus, which was instrumental in achieving his goal. He remarked, "I need to manage my thoughts regarding shot selection and aim to bat as deep as possible. If the situation demands, I must be ready to attack the bowlers. Virat, as soon as he arrived, began playing aggressively, and we communicated frequently. He set small targets for me, which helped me immensely. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience."

Match Overview: India vs South Africa

South Africa's Batting Performance

In the match, India won the toss and opted to field first. South Africa faced an early setback with Ryan Rickelton dismissed for a duck. However, a solid partnership of 113 runs between Quinton de Kock (106 runs off 89 balls, including eight fours and six sixes) and captain Temba Bavuma (48 runs off 67 balls, with five fours) stabilized their innings. De Kock also formed a 54-run partnership with Matthew Breetzke (24 runs off 23 balls, hitting two sixes). Despite a promising position at 234/5, South Africa collapsed to 270 all out in 47.5 overs, with Prasidh Krishna (4/66) and Kuldeep Yadav (4/41) wreaking havoc.

India's Successful Chase

India successfully chased down the target in just 39.5 overs. Rohit Sharma contributed significantly with 75 runs off 73 balls, forming a 155-run partnership with Jaiswal, who celebrated his maiden ODI century. Jaiswal's unbeaten 116 runs off 121 balls, along with 12 fours and three sixes, complemented Virat Kohli's 65 runs off 45 balls, ensuring a commanding series victory.