Ajay Jadeja has expressed slight surprise at the mode of Yashasvi Jaiswal's dismissal in India's first innings of the first Test against Bangladesh. The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the opener struggled against waist-high short deliveries, which generally don't trouble other batters.
Jaiswal scored 56 runs off 118 deliveries as India ended Day 1 in Chennai on Thursday, September 19, at 339/6. The left-handed opener was the fifth wicket to fall, awkwardly fending a Nahid Rana delivery to Shadman Islam at first slip.
During a discussion on Colors Cineplex, Jadeja was asked about his thoughts on Yashasvi Jaiswal's battle with Nahid Rana and the other Bangladesh seamers and his eventual dismissal.
"There is no doubt that he struggled, first the seamers made him struggle at the start when it was swinging, and later with the short ball when he was set. He didn't have that much difficulty against the short balls which were above his head. He had difficulty against short balls at stomach height which generally batters consider most easy," he responded.
"He struggled at the start when it was seaming but that was with everyone, even with greats like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. But what happened in the end will force him to think as we will also show it repeatedly. He will also go and see and there are analysts these days. I have not seen anyone else struggle this way," Jadeja added.
Jaiswal was dismissed similarly in India's first innings of the third Test against England in Rajkot earlier this year. He fended a Mark Wood delivery to Joe Root at first slip on that occasion.
"What everyone finds easy, he is finding it difficult" - Ajay Jadeja on Yashasvi Jaiswal
Ajay Jadeja noted that Yashasvi Jaiswal has a rare shortcoming.
"If you see in international cricket, people either have a problem against the full or short ball. Generally, everyone finds stomach-height balls easy but we are getting to see a rare sight with him, that what everyone finds easy, he is finding it difficult," he said in the same discussion.
The former India captain added that the youngster might have a mental block and is resultantly playing such deliveries too defensively.
"The reason for this could be his mind or he might have to bring a change in his game. When you understand your game, you are probably always playing shots against that ball but now your thinking is that you shouldn't play shots against that ball. Then it becomes difficult to defend that ball as well," Jadeja observed.
Jadeja concluded by saying that Jaiswal needs to work on the issue. He pointed out that other teams would also be watching and would look to exploit that deficiency in his game.
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