Jayant’s moments of brilliance tip the scales for India

On the eve of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, Virat Kohli had hinted there might be a surprise in the India XI, but not even he would have thought the rabbit he pulled out of the hat could become such a hit. Jayant Yadav, on Test debut, provided his team with vital lower-order runs and then conjured a wicket out of nowhere in the field, and even made excellent use of the DRS..

India finished the second day with a lead of 352 runs. That is massive enough on its own, but add to it England ending the day five down on a pitch that has been encouraging variable bounce and turn and there is little question over who has the upper hand. Jayant, a 26-year old offspin-bowling allrounder from Haryana, played no small part in tipping the balance. His first contribution was with the bat, showing stout defence against England’s spinners and the stomach for a fight against their fast bowlers, who targeted him with the short ball.

“Since the time I remember, since I have started playing serious cricket, not in the streets but in an academy, I have dreamt of this day,” he told Star Sports after stumps. “This dressing room is full of people who make you comfortable. KL Rahul, a recent debutant, told me what to expect on debut. It’s good I didn’t do anything yesterday, gave me time to process the emotions …

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