Yashasvi Jaiswal requests captain Shubman Gill to stop him mid-innings: ‘Meri aadat hai josh mein aane ki’

Yashasvi Jaiswal is just 23. The mature way he conducts himself as India's Test opener may give even the most experienced batters a run for their money but the left-hander from Bhadohi is still in his early days as an international cricketer. It's good to know that he is aware of that. On Day 1 of the India vs England Test match at Headingley in Leeds, Jaiswal requested his captain, Shubman Gill, to keep his excitement of running risky singles in check. India's Shubman Gill with Yashasvi Jaiswal(Action Images via Reuters)

It happened in the second ball of the 38th over when Jaiswal, after hitting a boundary off the first ball of the over from Chris Woakes, wanted to take a quick single off the next ball. It was clearly not on, and Gill was loud and clear with his "no" call. Jaiswal realised his mistake and told his captain to keep saying no to him as he has a habit of taking unnecessary risky singles.

"Mujhko bolte rehna (Please keep telling me ‘no’ for risky singles) Meri adaat hai, josh josh mein aane ki (I have a habit of getting over excited)," he could be heard telling Gill in between deliveries. The Indian opener was batting on 57 then.

Jaiswal would go on to hit two more boundaries in the remaining four balls of the same over. His partnership with Gill was slowly but surely putting India back in the position of strength that they were in the morning session, before two quick wickets of KL Rahul (42) and debutant Sai Sudharsan (0) at the stroke of lunch brought England back in the game.

India could ill afford a run out at that moment, especially when Gill was scoring almost at a run-a-ball and Jaiswal was maintaining a steady tempo, putting the loose deliveries away to the fence.

Yashasvi Jaiswal Silences Critics with Composed Knock

Electing to bowl first may have seemed a brave call by Ben Stokes, but the decision quickly came under scrutiny as the Indian openers, led by an assured Yashasvi Jaiswal, capitalised on a batting-friendly surface to lay a strong foundation.

After a patchy run in the pre-tour matches with India A, Yashasvi Jaiswal stepped up when it mattered most, showcasing maturity and technical clarity in his first major innings of the tour. The left-hander, known for his aggressive intent, tempered his instincts beautifully to counter England's erratic pace attack. Displaying sound judgment outside off-stump and a willingness to leave deliveries in the corridor, Jaiswal looked like a player keen to prove his red-ball credentials.

His innings began with a statement—an elegant drive through mid-off off Chris Woakes that set the tone for a session punctuated by crisp timing and intelligent strokeplay. Jaiswal’s driving was a highlight, punishing England’s tendency to overpitch. He also rotated strike effectively, ensuring the scoreboard kept ticking without undue risk.

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