‘Process, routine, discipline’: After unbeaten 155 in unofficial Test, Yashasvi Jaiswal shares success mantra in ‘very cold’ New Zealand

After a brief dip in form, young Indian batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal returned to scoring with an unbeaten 155 for India A in the drawn second unofficial Test against New Zealand A in Christchurch on Tuesday. Jaiswal said he relies on “process, routine and discipline” to produce consistent performances.Jaiswal said the cold conditions in New Zealand made batting difficult, especially early in the innings when the ball moved and the seamers found help.“It’s very cold here. The ball moves a lot at first and there’s a lot of seam movement. And there are good bowlers who hit good areas regularly. So we have to wait a lot at the beginning to get going,” he said.He added that batting became easier as the ball got older or the pitch settled, allowing him to play shots.“Then when the wicket improves or the ball gets old, it’s easy to make runs. I won’t say it’s easy, but you can play good shots. So it’s been a lot of fun and it feels good to play here. It’s a very different experience,” he added.The century comes ahead of India’s two-Test series against New Zealand, which begins on November 19. Jaiswal said discipline and sticking to one’s routine are key to handling the conditions.“It’s not that easy… Just focus on the process, the routine, the discipline. I think you have to be very disciplined here,” he explained.Talking about the challenges of touring New Zealand, Jaiswal said the cold weather was the biggest difference compared to other countries he played.“New Zealand is a very different place (compared to) India, Australia, even England. Because it’s very cold here. If you look at the air, it’s been cloudy all day. Then the sun has come and gone for a while. That’s how it’s been for the last four days,” he said.Asked how he adjusts his technique to suit the conditions, Jaiswal said he prefers to play close to the body and move towards the ball.“Mainly mentally, the closer I play to the body, the better. Go to the ball and play. If you look at the first innings, my initial attitude was behind. Then I changed again. If the bowler doesn’t play fast, then you can handle the seam movement.”“If I get a loose ball I will try to score. Rest is just effort,” he said.