Prior to the second Test against England in Vizag, Indian skipper Virat Kohli had indicated that a surprise was in store. However, even the most astute would not have predicted the hosts to field another uncapped spinner. Not displaying the usual nerves accompanying a Test debutant, Jayant Yadav excelled in all three departments of the game to make a decisive contribution to his team’s 246-run victory.
In an interview with TOI, the 26-year old all-rounder opened up on his successful Test debut and insisted that the robust structure helped him make a smooth transition from the domestic circuit to the international arena.
When asked about his most cherished scalp thus far, Jayant said, "The most memorable wicket would have to be Ben Stokes. It was my debut game (in Vizag) and I bowled a good ball to get a good batsman out. You only dream of having such wickets.”
After scoring a handy 35 which helped swell India’s total past the 400-run mark, he sparked Haseeb Hameed’s dismissal with a swift throw and then proceeded to get rid of Moeen Ali in the first-innings.
With the visitors set 405 in the second innings, the off-spinner got into the act once again by deceiving Stokes with a brilliant delivery. Upon hitting the good length area, the ball spun past the batsman’s outside edge to rattle the stumps. It was as classical a left-hander’s dismissal could get.
The remarkable aspect of Jayant’s game was his instant readiness to adapt to the rigours of Test cricket. His success story can be discerned as another feather in the cap for India’s strong cricket structure from the Ranji Trophy leading up to the ‘A’ team level and beyond.
He felt, “I feel the structure we have in place is excellent. For example, when I went from Haryana to India 'A' - Rahul Bhai (Dravid) and Paras (Mhambrey) bhai were ready to help. There definitely is pressure with which you have to cope. But that would happen when you face something new, and learn to adapt. I think the structure in place from Ranji to India 'A', and from there to senior team is good.”
‘I share a good rapport with Ashwin’
During the fourth Test in Mumbai, Jayant took his batting to the next level and scored his maiden Test century. His 241-run partnership with Kohli played a key role in helping his side take a massive lead and in turn apply pressure on England’s batsmen. Due to his entry, India’s lower order should now become even stronger with Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja already establishing themselves in the batting department too.
On the advantages of playing alongside Ashwin, Jayant revealed, “Ash and I share a very good rapport. We talk about cricket and there is always a lot of fun and banter. It's a great to have him in the dressing room. Ash always gives very meaningful inputs.
“He is quite senior and gives you space to do your own thing. He gives you suggestions on how to bowl to a particular batsmen and the type of fields you can set, and I take his inputs very seriously.”
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