Yashasvi Jaiswal is the only Indian apart from Sachin Tendulkar to achieve this record. (Agencies) Yashasvi Jaiswal stood tall in a collapsing Indian innings to write a personal milestone in the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati. His composed 58 off 97 balls made him only the second Indian after Sachin Tendulkar to register 20 or more test fifties before he was 24 – a feat he achieved despite the pressure of a rising scoreboard and little support from the other end.
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This achievement immediately placed him in elite company and ensured that his name was mentioned alongside Tendulkar throughout the day. While the milestone is highlighted by the weight of the occasion, the full extent of Jaiswal’s achievements becomes clear when juxtaposed against global cricketing greats. Only a handful of players have ever posted 20 or more test scores of fifty or more before the age of 24. Sachin Tendulkar leads the all-time list with 29, followed by Ramnaresh Sarwan (25), Alastair Cook (23), Javed Miandad (22) and Kane Williamson (20). Jaiswal’s inclusion in this select list reinforces his rapid rise in Test cricket and ranks him among the best young batsmen the format has seen. His knock came amid a South African onslaught after the visitors amassed 489 runs in the first innings. Jaiswal and KL Rahul added 65 early on, but once Rahul was removed by Keshav Maharaj and Jaiswal followed by Simon Harmer, India fell apart in dramatic fashion. From 95/1, the score climbed to 122/7, driven largely by Marc Jansen’s devastating six-wicket burst. Jansen finished with 6/48, which happens to be the third-best figures for a South African pacer in India and the fourth-best figures for a left-arm fast bowler in India. Washington Sundar’s 48 and Kuldeep Yadav’s resistance offered brief relief but could not prevent India being bowled out for 201. Jansen, who also scored 97 in South Africa’s first innings, completed a rare double of fifty-plus scores and five wickets in the same Test in India, becoming only the third visiting player to do so. South Africa opted not to push for the follow-on and reached 26/0 at stumps, stretching their lead to 314 runs. After losing the two-match series 0-1 in Kolkata, India, they now face the prospect of a first home Test series defeat to South Africa since 2000-01. In a bleak scenario for the hosts, Jaiswal’s milestone stands as the only bright spark and a reminder of his growing maturity and rising stature in world cricket.
