India hope Jaiswal adds a dose of the failsafe to his batting flair

Opener shone in the first two Tests, but his manner of dismissals at Lord’s calls for better shot selection

- Somshuvra Laha

That shot was never on. Not in the second over of the innings. Not when India would have preferred a quiet start to the 193-run chase at Lord's. It was a loosener too from Jofra Archer. But even those are hurled above 140 kph so the connection had to be spot on.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, however, tried to flat bat it, only to spear it. That’s how he plays, most would argue. But it was also so halfhearted that Jaiswal should consider himself lucky that most of the final-day glare was on Ravindra Jadeja, and the last two partnerships, and not on him.

Which should in turn exhort Jaiswal to dig deep and understand his purpose in this eleven. KL Rahul is the anchor because he believes so. He is the skewer that holds India’s batting from top to bottom. Which doesn’t necessarily mean Jaiswal has to compensate for Rahul but his flamboyance can’t be curbed easily. Which is why in the first over of the first Test at Leeds, Jaiswal didn’t hesitate to take on a fuller delivery from Chris Woakes that flew off the edge of the bat through gully.