Yashasvi Jaiswal's medical bulletin issued before Day 2 of Leeds Test

Team India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal made a massive statement after scoring a brilliant century on Day 1 of the first Test match against England. The left-handed batter said that he was dealing with cramps in both hands during his 101-run knock against the England bowlers at Headingley in Leeds on Friday.

Yashasvi Jaiswal seemed in full control during his first international match in England. He had to tackle the new ball and provide a steady start for a relatively inexperienced Indian batting line-up on the opening day. The young batter added a 91-run opening stand with KL Rahul in 24.5 overs to set the tone.

Yashasvi Jaiswal Becomes Fifth Indian to Score Century in Maiden Test Innings in England

Jaiswal began experiencing cramps in his forearm during the second session, despite the relatively moderate English weather. He was forced to receive on-field treatment twice, with team physios applying cold towels. Jaiswal even removed his elbow guard to stay comfortable at the crease.

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The left-hander accelerated with a couple of boundaries to reach his hundred. However, his innings ended shortly after when Ben Stokes delivered a superb ball to dismiss him.

Jaiswal scored 101 off 159 balls, with the help of 16 fours and a six. He became only the fifth Indian batter to score a century in his maiden Test innings on English soil, joining the list of Vijay Manjrekar, Sandeep Patil, Sourav Ganguly, and Murali Vijay.

I Was Getting Cramps on Both Hands - Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Jaiswal revealed that he battled cramps in both hands during his innings. He credited India A’s tour and the intra-squad match at Beckenham for helping him adjust to English conditions. Jaiswal also acknowledged the valuable guidance from Gautam Gambhir.

"I was getting cramps on both hands. Our preparations were good while playing for India A and at Beckenham (intra-squad). We were discussing about playing a long innings after getting a start. We got a lot of inputs from Gautam sir. So, it was nice to come to such a nice ground and perform," Jaiswal said during the post-day press conference (via NDTV).

The Strategy Was to Put Away the Bad Balls - Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi shared insights into Team India’s batting approach. He capitalized on England’s inconsistent bowling, the sunny weather conditions, and a batting-friendly pitch. He said that the team’s strategy was to punish loose deliveries and adapt to the situation.

"The strategy was to put away the bad balls, time, and place the shots well. I was just thinking about handling the situation, where the England team was keeping fielders or in which areas they were bowling. I was just trying to bat accordingly. I was batting as per the needs of the team," the batter said.

India posted a total of 359 for 3 at stumps, putting England under pressure. After Yashasvi Jaiswal’s century, captain Shubman Gill smashed an unbeaten hundred. Rishabh Pant also remained unbeaten with a composed half-century.

Also read: Ben Stokes ripped apart by Michael Vaughan after Day 1 of Leeds Test