Yashasvi Jaiswal joins elite list after Test ton on debut
Jaiswal, who resumed on 40 not out, was watchful, yet positive during his stay at the crease. The 21-year-old accelerated after the lunch break on day two and completed a well-made hundred.
The left-handed opener became the 17th Indian Test debutant to make a hundred. The last one to do so was Shreyas Iyer in 2021 against New Zealand in Kanpur.
Notably, his partner at the other end, Rohit Sharma, had also made a Test hundred on debut, also against West Indies, in 2013.
Jaiswal, though, is only the seventh Indian batter and the first in 13 years to score a Test hundred on debut away from home. Suresh Raina, who made 120 against Sri Lanka in 2010, is the last Indian batter to score a Test ton on debut outside India.
Indian batters to score a Test hundred on debut away from home
Jaiswal is also only the third Indian opener to make a Test hundred on debut after Shikhar Dhawan (187 v Australia, 2013) and Prithvi Shaw (134 v West Indies, 2018).
"It feels really good. It was an emotional moment [getting 100]. My batting is still going on so the effort will be to play as long as possible for the team," Jaiswal told the reporters at the end of Day 2.
"This is the start of my career so I'll strive to take that as long as possible too and see how focussed and disciplined I can be going ahead.
"It was very emotional for me, for my family. And for all those who have supported me throughout because it has been a long journey for me. I want to thank everyone who has helped in any way along the way and I want to dedicate this to my parents because they've had a big influence on my life, and I want to thank God. Don't want to say too much... I am happy, but this is the start. I need to keep up," he added.
Jaiswal had played only 15 first-class games in his career before this Test, but averages over 80 in those with nine hundreds, including a stunning 265 in the second innings of the Duleep Trophy Final last year.
The opener completed his hundred on Test debut in the 70th over, by when the opening stand with Rohit had crossed 200.
Rohit joined Jaiswal before the tea break, getting to his tenth Test century, and also crossing 3500 Test runs during the innings. But the skipper fell next ball, to debutant Alick Athanaze, gloving a catch down the leg side to Joshua Da Silva.
The 229-run opening stand between Rohit and Jaiswal is the second-highest for India in Tests in West Indies. The record is held by Vijay Manjrekar and Pankaj Roy, who put on 237 for the second wicket at Sabina Park in 1953.
"I spoke a lot to Rohit while batting. He kept explaining to me how to bat on this wicket and where the runs would come. We had very good communication between us," Jaiswal said. "Before the game also, he was talking to me, telling me 'you have to do it'. So I kept thinking about that and how I should prepare mentally and score runs. So I think I've learnt a lot from this game and I'll try to keep doing that going forward too."
"It makes a lot of difference when experienced players and legends of our team [like Rohit, Virat, Rahane] sit with you, talk to you... It makes a big difference because I keep learning from them," Jaiswal concluded.