Perth: Emerging batting sensation, Yashasvi Jaiswal etched his name into the record books on Sunday by scoring a scintillating century in Perth in the opening Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Jaiswal became the third Indian cricketer to achieve the feat on his maiden tour to Australia, following in the footsteps of M.L. Jaisimha (1967-68) and Sunil Gavaskar (1977-78).
The 22-year-old reached his hundred in the 61st over, crafting an innings laced with eight boundaries and three sixes. With this knock, Jaiswal also set multiple records, including becoming the youngest Indian batter to hit the most Test centuries in a calendar year before turning 23. The left-hander now has three centuries in 2024, with three matches still to go before he celebrates his 23rd birthday on December 28.
In doing so, Jaiswal joins an elite list of players who have scored the most Test hundreds in a year before turning 23, alongside Sunil Gavaskar (4 in 1971), Vinod Kambli (4 in 1993), Ravi Shastri (3 in 1984), and Sachin Tendulkar (3 in 1992).
Additionally, Jaiswal became the first Indian opener to score a Test century in Australia since KL Rahul’s 110 at the Sydney Cricket Ground during the 2014-15 series.
Jaiswal went on to score 161-runs in the second innings before getting out.
Record-Breaking Year
Jaiswal’s remarkable century came a day after he broke another significant record. On Saturday, he smashed his 34th six of 2024, surpassing Brendon McCullum’s decade-old record of 33 sixes in a calendar year. The previous record, set by McCullum in 2014, stood unmatched until Jaiswal’s aggressive batting against Nathan Lyon.
England captain Ben Stokes now holds the third spot with 26 sixes in 2022, while Australia’s Adam Gilchrist (22 in 2005) and India’s Virender Sehwag (22 in 2008) round out the top five.
Composure Under Pressure
The Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer demonstrated tremendous composure after a challenging start to his debut tour. In his first innings, Jaiswal was dismissed cheaply, edging a Mitchell Starc delivery to Nathan McSweeney at gully. However, his second innings on Day 2 showcased a mix of patience and aggression as he capitalized on favorable conditions and a worn-out ball.
Jaiswal’s milestone adds to India’s strong start in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and cements his status as one of the most promising young talents in international cricket.
