CHENNAI: Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul are walking off the field at The Perth Stadium on Saturday evening. About 50m away stands Virat Kohli, fully padded-up ready to face some throw downs, cheering on with his gloves and bat. Jaiswal notices him, lets out a big smile and salutes at the veteran as an acknowledgement.
If there is ever a moment that encapsulates Day Two of the first Test between India and Australia, this was it. The former captain and one of the greatest batters from the country — who would have never been more happy to remain padded-up and wait for two whole sessions without getting a chance to bat — knew the significance of what Jaiswal and Rahul had done on Saturday.
After the opening day where 17 wickets fell, the Indian openers had batted out two sessions without getting out, adding 172 runs and in the process, extending the lead past 200 (218) at stumps.
To understand the significance of Jaiswal and Rahul's partnership, all one has to do is look back. In the last ten years, only one visiting pair has put on a 100-run partnership in Australia. Among Indian openers, the last century stand came from Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag 20 years ago. Even if all these records aren't there to be broken, just the fact that India barely had their claws in the lead after dismissing Australia for 104 — Jasprit Bumrah took another fifer — meant they needed Jaiswal and Rahul to spend some time in the middle. And they needed runs too.
Right from the first over, that is exactly what these two did. Unlike the first innings, where the ball was seaming off the surface dramatically, the pitch had settled down. And having seen Mitchell Starc hold one end with confidence, the openers knew what to expect. They kept it tight as much as possible but at the same time nudged and pushed for every single possible.
Rahul, who has been the most comfortable batter on the surface, so far continued to do what he did in the first innings. He left everything he could and when he had the width or length to work around, made the most of it. It was Jaiswal who needed some guidance every time he got stuck in the crease, playing with soft hands or going for an expansive shot. Rahul was that guy on the day.
Almost after every play and a miss, the senior batter kept communicating. He would walk down the middle, calm the youngster and then a single would come. Jaiswal fed off Rahul's concentration and went into his zone. Unlike this year where the left-hander has been this attacking opener, the youngster went back to basics.
In his debut innings where he faced 387 balls for the 171 against West Indies. Now, this didn't mean he went into a shell. After the first hour of the second session, Jaiswal bludgeoned Starc behind square for a four. In the same over, he defended Starc off the backfoot and passed a cheeky comment: "It's coming too slow". This was in reference to Starc's earlier friendly exchange with Harshit Rana. Starc had said, "Harshit, I bowl faster than you. I've got a long memory." Jaiswal, here, unprovoked till that point, was giving it back, making Starc smile. That smile did not last long as Jaiswal got going. Boundaries started flowing at one end while Rahul kept chipping away at another. They kept caution when needed while complimenting each other with perfection.
By the time stumps were drawn, Jaiswal was on 90, Rahul on 62. And India on the driver seat. While Kohli's applause came as the validation for Jaiswal, he and everyone knows, it would not have been possible without Rahul. Come Sunday, India would want them to pick up from where they left and pile on as much as possible.
