Jaiswal will enter the Test series with runs under his belt for India A.
Former India cricketer Ambati Rayudu has hailed left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal as one of the best Test batters currently playing and backed him to eventually compete alongside India's all-time greats.
Rayudu noted that Jaiswal possesses the exact combination of natural talent and grit required to thrive in the longest format.
He further stated that it is only a matter of time before Jaiswal translates his red-ball success into consistent dominance in white-ball cricket as well.
“Absolutely. I think he is one of the best Test batters we have going right now. In the future, he will be someone competing against the Indian greats. So, I feel that he has not only the game and the talent, but also the grit that is required to be a really good Test cricketer. I just think that he is an amazing cricketer and it is only a matter of time before he becomes good even in white-ball cricket,” Rayudu said on Cricbuzz.
Rayudu’s remarks came after Jaiswal finished India A’s unofficial Test series against New Zealand with 279 runs in five innings at an average of 69.75, including two hundreds in three matches. The southpaw will now head to the two-Test series against the senior New Zealand side with confidence and runs under his belt.
In the same discussion, former India spinner Murali Kartik emphasized that Jaiswal is entering the opening Test in a positive mental space and needs to sustain his competitive intensity.
“It is very good for him, because at the end of the day, the way he started his Test career and the way he has gone about it, he would want to maintain the intensity. You want to prove yourself in every condition that you go out. So, it is very important. If you look at him in England, he got hundreds, but he also had the odd failure there. He has not done anything wrong. Whatever format he plays, he has got hundreds. So, it is good that he is in a clear space walking into the first Test,” Kartik stated.
With nearly a week remaining for the Test series, Rayudu expressed confidence in Dhruv Jurel’s ability to anchor the lower-middle order and handle the second new ball.
“If you look at Dhruv Jurel, he scores some important runs. Whenever I have seen him, he plays the situation really well. Whenever the team is struggling, I have seen him put his hand up, more often than not. He is someone who I feel is very crucial on this tour. He will have a huge role to play coming in at No.6 or 7, especially to tackle the new ball. So, he is someone I think would have a good series,” Rayudu remarked.
The opening India versus New Zealand Test will be played in Wellington from November 19-23, while Christchurch will host the second Test from November 27-December 1.