Yashasvi Jaiswal left spectators delighted with his version of Jaisball in Hyderabad. He walked off happy with 80 off 76, having seemingly set the tone for India in the innings. Missing out on a century did not faze him. “It was good actually,” he said. “Of course, it would have been amazing if I would have scored a hundred. But what took me there was my thinking and my process to score runs and I was quite positive in my mind and I was just thinking, making sure I can build an innings.”

He had set the tone, but perhaps not in the way anticipated. India could not register a win despite taking a 190-run lead. England were not quite killed off, and surged back in scintillating style. Jaiswal was the first of three batters to make a score in the eighties in the first innings. After the game, head coach Rahul Dravid pulled up his batters for the opportunity missed: don’t just make a contribution, he impressed upon them, define the game instead. “We left probably 70 runs in the first innings when conditions were pretty good to bat on day two. We got some good starts but didn’t really capitalise, we didn’t get a hundred.”

Despite the coach’s message, it was a trend that was repeated in Visakhapatnam. Five India batters were dismissed between 10 and 40, and while a score of 336-6 might look healthy, India’s weakened batting line-up in the absence of three senior stars and the benign conditions mean that, again, England are still in the game. But one batter did pay attention: Jaiswal, playing just his sixth Test, showed the way to his more senior teammates. India may yet reach a match-winning score, and if they do, it will be down to him.

Crucial was the manner in which he switched his tempo according to the game situation. This wasn’t all-out aggression or dogged defence, but something in between.

The first hour of play indicated what was to follow: India’s batting template was clear as Rohit Sharma, in particular, looked to bat with caution on a wicket that was slightly damp. India made 40 runs in the first 17.3 overs, a huge contrast to the approach they had taken in Hyderabad when they were 92-1 at the same stage.

IND vs ENG: Yashasvi Jaiswal equals Sachin Tendulkar with second Test 150-plus score

A combination of good bowling by veteran James Anderson along with the rigidity of wicket preservation meant India crawled along in the first session. It was Jaiswal who applied some pressure back. While Rohit never looked to take on the bowlers while at the crease and did not score a single boundary, the youngster started by hitting Joe Root, who had dismissed him in the last game, for two fours, not letting the bowler gain any sort of psychological advantage.

Thereafter, he too went into his shell, contributing 26 runs in the opening stand at a strike rate of 40 with two more fours. He was watchful against an inexperienced spin attack, aware that he could put them under pressure if he saw them off upfront. He was respectful towards Anderson, at one stage scoring six off 41 balls off him, but picked up the pace, eventually reaching his fifty in 89 balls.

Yashasvi Jaiswal – One-man army for India 🇮🇳⭐️#YashasviJaiswal #India #Cricket #INDvsENG #Tests pic.twitter.com/X7AXX0koHZ

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) February 2, 2024

It is not something that you necessarily associate with Jaiswal. With a first-class strike rate of 65.98, Jaiswal, predicted to be one of India’s next all-format superstars, has an air of fearlessness and already has the fourth-best strike rate (62.63) among all Indian openers with at least 500 runs. His approach today was measured, likely informed by the lack of batting depth that India had, looking instead to form a partnership without undue risks. Shubman Gill’s dismissal after a promising start and Shreyas Iyer’s tentative stay at the crease urged him to play more attacking cricket, keeping the run rate going from at least one end.

He looked to bat more aggressively after reaching his first fifty, taking 60 more deliveries to reach his second Test hundred, getting to the milestone with a six. He danced down to Tom Hartley before taking off his helmet to soak in the applause. From thereon, there was no stopping Jaiswal, who scored his last 79 runs at a strike rate of 74.53, 36 of which came in boundaries.

He did not allow the spinners to get into any rhythm, using his feet particularly well against them, a point highlighted by debutant Rajat Patidar in the post-match press conference. He stayed back against good-length balls, refusing to be drawn into playing premeditated shots, either defending them or playing them softly for singles. He danced down the ground for four of his five sixes, the highlight being his first maximum off Rehan Ahmed, where Jaiswal stepped out and struck against the movement of the ball.

Jaiswal was also impressive with finding the gaps. Towards the end of the day’s play, England skipper Ben Stokes employed an attacking field, with five close-in fielders on the off-side and four more on the leg side. Jaiswal was unperturbed, lifting the tossed-up ball by Rehan down the ground for a grand six.

Despite the increased scoring rate, Jaiswal cut down on the false shots. He was in the zone, but still batting wisely. He had realised that just getting a start was not “good actually” – he needed to make it count, for himself but more importantly for his team.

Rocked by injuries and trailing 1-0, Jaiswal needed to carry on. As he notched his seventh 150-plus first-class score in 11 centuries (he has two 140s), taking India to 336-6 in 93 overs after they were 40 in 17.3, he ensured he had not only heard his coach but also showed he was willing to learn from his mistakes, put the team’s needs ahead and be the player India can depend on in crucial moments.

He was “good actually” and this time, Dravid would have also agreed.