"Playing safe" - Yashasvi Jaiswal sums up his experience of batting against Bangladesh

On a day that witnessed a shockingly disappointing display by Indian batters, Yashasvi Jaiswal was one of the few players who impressed in the first India vs Bangladesh Test. Bangladesh, with pacer Hasan Mahmud leading the charge, stunned India on the first day at Chepauk. The touring side reduced India to 34 for 3 in the opening session of the much-anticipated clash. The pace attack, spearheaded by Mahmud, claimed the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill at the meager scores of 6, 6, and a duck, respectively. However, youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his Test debut earlier this year, did well to withstand the attack and stabilize the Indian batting innings.

Yashasvi Jaiswal talks about India's struggle against Bangladesh on the opening Test day at Chepauk

Before Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin came to India’s rescue, the team managed to hold its ground through tenacious knocks by opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Pant, making his Test comeback after almost two years, scored 39 off 52 balls before Mahmud claimed him as his fourth victim of the day. Jaiswal, meanwhile, endured the attack longer, registering a gritty half-century against the visitors. Together, Pant and Jaiswal stitched a 62-run partnership, pulling India out of the danger of a potential collapse in the first innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal addressed the media at the conclusion of Day 1, which saw India posting 339 runs for the loss of 6 wickets at stumps on Thursday in Chennai.

"It was amazing to go out there and play in these conditions. It will make me stronger, and I will learn from it—how to play in these conditions and how to plan my innings," he said, describing his experience of batting against the relentless Bangladeshi bowlers on the opening day.

"I try to bat according to the requirements of my team and keep changing my game accordingly. If a wicket falls early, how can I bat? When the runs are coming, how can I bat?" he added, further explaining his approach that led to a half-century in Chennai.

Yashasvi Jaiswal has amassed a record-breaking 1071 runs in just 16 Test innings so far. Moreover, the batter, who made headlines in his debut series against England, has already scored 3 centuries and 5 half-centuries in the longest format, all before the turn of a year. Displaying his keen understanding of the format, Jaiswal highlighted the weak spots that he and Rishabh Pant exploited to steady the innings against Bangladesh in the ongoing red-ball clash.

"I think the wicket was a bit helpful initially, and if you look at the weather, it was a bit cloudy. But we were trying to get through that period by playing safely," Jaiswal explained. "I think he [Mahmud] definitely bowled well, but at times, he also delivered loose balls, which we scored runs on. We were just talking about how we can use our feet," he added, discussing Hasan Mahmud’s bowling. "We were trying to see if there was a loose ball to score runs and were looking to build a partnership and play as long as we could," Jaiswal concluded.