India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal play a shot during Day 1 of the first Test against at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Thursday, September 19, 2024.
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fighting half-century helped India recover from an early setback in the first session before R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s rearguard action on day one of the first Test.

Damp wicket

“Initially, I thought the ball was moving and seaming a bit, and the wicket was damp. So, we took our time, but as you can see from the last session, we scored quite well, and I think we are in a good position at the moment,” said Jaiswal at the end of the day’s play.

Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant stitched a 62-run partnership for the fourth wicket, and the opener explained that the duo tried to stay positive despite being in a tricky position.

“I think we were just talking about how we can use our feet, and we were trying if there is a loose ball, we will try to score runs,” the 22-year-old explained.

“I think the wicket was a bit helpful for the bowlers initially, and if you look at the weather, it was a bit cloudy. They bowled well, but at times, they also gave loose balls which allowed us to score runs.”

The opener said he enjoyed the challenging conditions and felt it would prepare him for the future.
“I felt it was amazing to go out there and play in these conditions. It will make me stronger.”