Irani Cup | Yashashvi’s entertaining double hundred powers Rest of India to a position of strength

File photo of Mumbai batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored a double hundred against Madhya Pradesh in the Irani Cup at Gwalior on March 1, 2023.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

As he did on his Duleep Trophy debut, Yashasvi Jaiswal got his name into the record books by scoring a sensational double hundred in his maiden Irani Cup appearance, slamming 213 (259b, 30×4, 3×6) at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium here on Wednesday. 

Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran, who made an equally brilliant 154 (240b, 17×4, 2×6), powered Rest of India to 381 for three against Madhya Pradesh at stumps on day one.

Rest of India skipper Mayank Agarwal opted to bat first on a pitch with generous grass cover and fell cheaply when Avesh Khan had him caught behind with a delivery that seamed away.

But the joy was short-lived for MP as Jaiswal and Abhimanyu shredded the bowling attack apart. They added 371 runs for the second wicket, the highest ever in the Irani Cup.

File photo of Bengal batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, who complemented Yashashvi Jaiswal’s effort, with a century of his own against Madhya Pradesh in the Irani Cup at Gwalior on March 1, 2023.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

In the morning, Abhimanyu was the aggressor picking six boundaries in the first hour with crisply timed flicks through the leg side. 

At the other end, Jaiswal started cautiously, taking 22 balls to get off the mark before he displayed his full array of shots. He began by going after the spinners, stepping out and hitting down the ground. He also used the sweep shot effectively.

On a slow pitch, Abhimanyu used the crease well to punch off the back foot and got to his hundred in style by lofting Saransh over midwicket for a six. Soon, Jaiswal got to his hundred with a boundary and then took off. The Mumbai batter got to his 150 with two of the best shots of the day, driving pacer Ankit Kushwah down the ground. 

Even though there was not a lot of help for the bowlers, the hosts made it worse for themselves when Yash Dubey dropped Jaiswal twice in three balls, when he was on 176 and 181, off Avesh and off-spinner Shubham Sharma respectively. 

Jaiswal eventually got to his 200 when he cut a wide delivery from Shubham. Avesh finally broke through his defence with the second new ball, but not before he had put his side in a commanding position.

The scores: Rest of India — 1st innings: Mayank Agarwal c Mantri b Avesh 2, Abhimanyu Easwaran run out 154, Yashasvi Jaiswal b Avesh 213, Saurabh Kumar (batting) 0, B. Indrajith (batting) 3; Extras (b-2, lb-5, nb-2): 9; Total (for three wkts in 87 overs): 381.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-378, 3-378.

Madhya Pradesh bowling: Avesh 16-4-51-2, Anubhav 10-1-48-0, Kushwah 9-1-43-0, Saransh Jain 24-0-103-0, Kartikeya 20-2-90-0, Shubham 6-0-30-0, Aquil 2-0-9-0.

Toss: Rest of India.