Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan batsman Basit Ali criticized young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for throwing away his wicket cheaply in the second innings of the first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Jaiswal was dismissed for 35 off 52 balls, stumped by Tom Blundell off Ajaz Patel, leaving fans and experts frustrated with his shot selection at a critical moment.
Basit voiced his frustration on his YouTube channel, labelling Jaiswal as a “kacha player” (not ripe yet). He acknowledged the Jaiswal’s talent but stressed the importance of staying at the crease to support the team.
“I agree that you have many shots in your arsenal, but it was crucial for you to stay at the wicket because you’re a left-hander, my prince. A left-hander disrupts the opposition’s bowling rhythm,” Basit remarked. “In the first innings, you got out early due to the toss (India’s decision to bat first in overcast conditions), but this time you handed your wicket to Ajaz Patel. For the team’s sake, you needed to stay longer; this mindset is necessary.”
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Jaiswal’s dismissal came at a moment when India needed stability to fight back from a first-innings disaster.
The opener stepped out of the crease, aiming to dominate Patel, but the ball dipped and then bounced unexpectedly, beating his bat and allowing Blundell to complete the stumping.
While Jaiswal showed glimpses of his potential with six boundaries, his aggressive approach ended prematurely, giving New Zealand their first breakthrough on Friday.
India, bowled out for a humiliating 46 in the first innings, trailed New Zealand by 356 runs after the visitors posted 402.
Rachin Ravindra’s brilliant 134 and Tim Southee’s 65 propelled New Zealand to a commanding lead.
However, India bounced back in the second innings, reaching 231-3 at stumps on Day 3, thanks to a gritty 136-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan.
Furthermore, Basit also emphasized that India would not be playing for a draw but a win even if they eventually lose the match.
