3 qualities that set Yashasvi Jaiswal apart from previous Indian openers

Yashasvi Jaiswal added another feather to his cap when he became the third Indian opener to smash a century on Test debut during the first Test against the West Indies at Dominica.

The 21-year-old broke numerous other records during his blistering knock, including being the third Indian batter to score a century on debut against the West Indies.

Jaiswal was also the seventh Indian batter and the first since Suresh Raina in 2010 to score a century on his Test debut in an away game. He also became the 17th overall Indian batter to score a century on Test debut.

The Mumbai opener has already broken the Indian record for most deliveries faced in his maiden Test, batting on 143* off 350 balls. Considering his current form and the opposition, Jaiswal has a golden opportunity to become the eighth batter and first from India to score a double ton on Test debut.

Records aside, Jaiswal's unflustered temperament and assured batting, mixing defense with attack, had the international cricketing world on notice.

Team India has produced several legendary Test batters, with a few boasting outstanding numbers as opening batters. The likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, and Gautam Gambhir rank among the best openers the country has produced.

India has recently had other solid openers in Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, and Rohit Sharma.

The next generation has also seen the likes of Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, and Shubman Gill opening the batting for India in Tests. However, apart from Gambhir and Dhawan, the country has had a drought in the number of excellent left-handed openers in Tests.

Considering the value added by the presence of a right-left batting combination, It would be a welcome sight if Jaiswal becomes a star performer for India in the opening role.

As we celebrate the birth of another potential batting superstar in Indian cricket, let us look at three qualities that set Yashasvi Jaiswal apart from previous Indian openers.

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#1 Excellent conversion rate

Jaiswal has converted most of his starts into big scores at the first-class level.

Among several vital attributes that constitute a great batter, the ability to convert solid starts into three-figure scores ranks high. Test matches are often won by centuries and double centuries, setting up the game for the bowlers to pick up 20 wickets with the scoreboard pressure firmly on the opposition.

In that aspect, very few have showcased better conversion skills than Yashasvi Jaiswal. Considering his 15-match first-class career, the 21-year-old boasts of a remarkable conversion rate, with nine centuries and two half-centuries.

For context, the best Test batter of all time, Don Bradman, has a 69 conversion rate with 29 centuries and 13 centuries (29/(29+13). In the Modern era, Virat Kohli is considered the gold standard for conversion rate. The champion batter has a 50 conversion rate in Tests, with 28 centuries and as many half-centuries.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, in his brief first-class career, already sits on an extraordinary 81 conversion rate. The Mumbai batter immediately showcased his appetite for big scores on his Test debut by converting his half-century into a mammoth century, batting on an unbeaten 143.

An opening batter with a high conversion rate is hugely desirable as it sets the platform for a match-winning team score. It also relieves the middle-order batters from the pressure of having two new batters at the crease at most stages of the innings.

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#2 Ability to bat at different gears

Jaiswal can bat at different speeds according to the game situation.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has also displayed the ability to mix attack and defense based on the team's needs and the demands of the game situation. A great example of that trait is his debut knock against the West Indies, where the youngster curbed his natural aggressive instincts.

Jaiswal reached his century off 215 deliveries and has batted at an overall strike rate of only 40.86 during his innings. However, in stark contrast, several of the Mumbai batter's best knocks at the domestic level have come at blistering strike rates of above 80 and even 90.

The southpaw has an overall strike rate of 67 in his first-class career and boasted a strike rate of almost 80 in the last Ranji season for Mumbai.

Jaiswal's ability to see off the challenging overs and capitalize on anything loose from both pacers and spinners sets him apart from several one-dimensional Test batters.

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#3 Temperament to perform in big matches

Jaiswal broke several records during the 2023 Irani Cup clash against Madhya Pradesh.

Another incredible attribute of Yashasvi Jaiswal in his young career has been his ability to step up and deliver match-winning performances in crucial games. While the pressure of a knockout match gets to even the best of batters, the Mumbai cricketer has been unfazed by the big occasion.

Jaiswal's big-match appetite came into the limelight when he recorded a second innings hundred in the quarterfinal of the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy. The 21-year-old followed that with another breathtaking century in the semifinal to help Mumbai capture a first-innings lead and a trip to the grand finale.

Despite the team going down in the final, Jaiswal scored an impressive 78 in the first innings against Madhya Pradesh.

Despite his sparkling showing in the knockout matches of the Ranji Trophy, it was the Duleep Trophy later in 2022 that his big-game prowess rose exponentially.

Representing West Zone, Jaiswal scored a brilliant double-century in the quarterfinal to set up a massive first innings lead, resulting in them qualifying for the final four. After a quiet outing in the semifinal, the southpaw exhibited incredible batsmanship in the grand finale, scoring 265 in the second innings.

Entering the second innings with a deficit of 57, Jaiswal's blistering knock single-handedly turned the game on its head, setting up a target of 529 for South Zone. The knock helped West Zone become Duleep Trophy champions, and the Mumbai opener finished the tournament as the leading scorer with 497 runs in three games at an average of 99.40.

Just as it felt like Jaiswal's scoring spree could not vault any higher, the left-hander took his game to stratospheric heights in the Irani Cup earlier this year.

Playing for Rest-of-India (ROI) against Madhya Pradesh, Jaiswal batted at one drop and scored a scintillating 213 to help the side reach 484 in their first innings.

However, the 21-year-old wasn't finished just yet, as he returned to score another incredible 144 in the second innings on a deteriorating surface to help ROI become Irani Cup champions.

Jaiswal's heroics with the bat in the Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup meant he broke several long-standing first-class records.

The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer became the first batter to score a double century and a century in the same Irani Cup final. With 357 runs in the match, Jaiswal also became the highest scorer in a single Irani Cup edition, surpassing Shikhar Dhawan's tally of 332 in 2012-13.

The talented opening batter also became the first to score a double century in the Duleep Trophy and the Irani Cup in the same season.

With Team India often suffering dismal collapses in the knockout games, Jaiswal's big-match temperament and prolific performances at the domestic level bode well for the side.