Image: Alastair Cook praised Yashasvi Jaiswal for his confidence / © Sky Sports
The first Test match between India and Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 saw a dominant performance by India, with the team securing a massive win. India, led by strong performances from Yashasvi Jaiswal and their bowlers, overwhelmed Australia in Perth.
Jaiswal, who scored a brilliant 161 runs, continued his impressive form, having accumulated 1280 runs in just 12 Test matches this year. He is now the second-highest run-scorer in Tests in 2024, behind Joe Root, who has 1338 runs from 15 matches.
Former England captain Alastair Cook lauded Jaiswal, calling him a “class player” and praising his confidence, particularly for sledding Mitchell Starc during the match. Jaiswal, at just 22, boldly remarked to Starc, “You are coming too slow at me”, displaying his confidence in the heat of the battle. He said:
We’ve seen his celebration enough here, but it’s more enjoyable against Australia than England, certainly. And sledding Mitchell Starc, saying at a certain stage, I think he wasn’t on 100, he wasn’t on anything on a major score, but he’s telling him you’re bowling slow and I’ve faced Mitchell Starc and he certainly doesn’t bowl slow. And if he was bowling slow, I’d keep my mouth shut and not wind him up, but have the confidence to do that as a 22-year-old.
India’s win was built on a solid team effort, with contributions from both batters and bowlers. Mitchell Starc, despite his sledding encounter with Jaiswal, struggled throughout the match. As the series progresses, India’s dominant display in the first Test sets the tone for the rest of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.