Indian star opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal revealed new head coach Gautam Gambhir's style and brand of cricket, based on his interactions with the latter during the Sri Lanka tour.
The 22-year-old who is currently representing India B in the ongoing Duleep Trophy is a leading candidate to continue as the Test opener for Team India ahead of the hectic Test cricket season in the coming months.
Indian players were asked to participate in the Duleep Trophy as a part of preparation for the two-match Bangladesh Test series starting on September 19, followed by a three-match Test series against New Zealand in October, and a five-match series touring Australia in November.
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What did Yashasvi Jaiswal say about India head coach Gautam Gambhir?
The Indian youngster Jaiswal who was part of the T20I squad during tour of Sri Lanka revealed how Gambhir provided the team with confidence to play a fearless brand of cricket.
While there were close encounters during the Sri Lanka series, India managed to clean sweep the T20I leg 3-0.
Jaiswal who is yet to make his ODI debut for the Indian team will be looking forward to cementing his place in the T20I and Test team under the coaching of Gambhir, who was also a left-handed batter during his playing career.
"Yes, I have spoken with him during the Sri Lanka series," Jaiswal told PTI as he revealed Gambhir's coaching mantra:
"He really backed us saying just go out and play freely and enjoy the game and we will be with you. It gives us a lot of confidence and helps us to play fearlessly,"
The BCCI is likely to make a final decision on the Indian squad for the Bangladesh Test series based on the players' performances in the ongoing Duleep Trophy.
MORE: When will India's Test squad for Bangladesh series be announced?
Yashasvi Jaiswal gears up for Duleep Trophy as a preparation for Bangladesh Test series
Jaiswal in his interview to PTI said that he was looking forward to the Duleep Trophy as a preparation for the upcoming Test cricket season, starting with the Bangladesh Test series starting on September 19.
"I am working hard at nets ahead, first for the Duleep Trophy and then for the Bangladesh series. It's not about setting personal goals, as you know in cricket you have to be consistent and keep working on your skills," he said.
"Domestic tournaments like Duleep Trophy and Irani Trophy are very important games and it gives me a lot of confidence and helps me prepare for those international games."
"I try to remain in my zone and contribute to the team's winning cause. You get to learn a lot of things in tournaments like Duleep Trophy and it is very good for you to play such intense games ahead of a Test series," he added.
Playing for India B in the Duleep Trophy, Jaiswal was dismissed by Khaleel Ahmed for 30 runs in the first innings.
MORE: Duleep Trophy 2024: TV channel, live stream and how to watch from India
What is Yashasvi Jaiswal's record in Test Cricket?
Jaiswal's breakout in Tests came during the five-match home series against England, where he scored 712 runs at an average of 89, as he became only the second Indian batter after Sunil Gavaskar to score 700-plus runs in a single series.
Further, he is also the 2nd fastest Indian after Vinod Kambli (14 innings) to score over 1000 runs, which he did in 16 innings.
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Highest | 50s | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 16 | 1028 | 68.53 | 214* | 4 | 3 |
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