Yashasvi Jaiswal scolded the Mitchell Starc sledge

Matthew Hayden and Sunil Gavaskar shared some valuable advice for young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Boxing Day Test against Australia, starting December 26 in Melbourne.

Yashasvi Jaiswal got off to a stellar start on his opening tour of Australia with a mind-boggling knock of 161 runs in the first Test after being dismissed for a duck in the first innings. His record ton and 200-plus partnership with KL Rahul played a key role in India’s 295-run win over Australia.

Matthew Hayden and Sunil Gavaskar offer key advice to Yashasvi Jaiswal ahead of Boxing Day Test

But after his Perth hundred, Yashasvi Jaiswal found himself at the crossroads as the youngster could manage only 0, 24, 4 and 4* in the last two Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 between the ‘India and Australia, with the series tied at 1 after the draw in the Gabba Test.

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With the fourth Test at the MCG carrying significant significance, former Indian captain and legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar warned Yashasvi Jaiswal about the taunting of the Australian players in the Boxing Day Test, saying such things can “bite- very strong”.

Sunil Gavaskar believes Jaiswal will have to prove himself in the Boxing Day Test; otherwise, you can face the consequences. He also urged the young opener to avoid pranking the Australian bowlers as his witty sledge Mitchell Starc proved too costly for India in Adelaide.

Don’t say anything on your own: Sunil Gavaskar to Yashasvi Jaiswal

Sunil Gavaskar told Star Sports: “This game can come back and bite you in the backside and bite you really hard. I think, you know, we saw a bit of an exchange where he’s been talking to a senior bowler like Mitchell Starc I think he had something to say to Nathan Lyon during that century innings as well.

The only thing I would say to the young man is, you know, I think he raises his bat to speak. Unless someone tells you something, that’s another matter. But don’t say anything on your own.”

Meanwhile, former Australian batsman Matthew Hayden admitted that Yashasvi Jaiswal is a talented player but needs to adjust his scoring areas. He pointed out that Jaiswal’s recent dismissals were due to aggressively playing the ball off-stump and falling through the stumps.

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Matthew Hayden advised Jaiswal to narrow his focus and aim to play more strokes down the ground rather than hitting against the angle. He pointed out that when Jaiswal played in front of square in the second innings, he executed a crisp shot.

I would like to see a small tweak to the annotation areas by Yashasvi Jaiswal: Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden said during the same discussion on Star Sports: “He’s a quality player, but I’d like to see a little tweaking of Jaiswal’s scoring areas. Every one of those dismissals, all three of them, was very different. I mean, he was going very hard on the ball outside the off stump. And then he thought the ball was drifting down the leg side. And then what he… But the fact is that he goes fall into these last two layoffs.”

The big Aussie further explained: “One in the air and then the change in the pads. Maybe it’s just sometimes when you put your hands up like that. And I’m doing it on camera right now. But if you can maybe think about your mind, OK, maybe those are my scoring areas. Whereas I think at this point, Jaiswal is thinking, Well, that’s my scoring area.”

In the end, Hayden thinks Jaiswal should narrow down his approach a bit and start thinking about hitting it down the ground instead of hitting against that angle like lefties. He signed off by saying that if he can’t hit it on the ground, he can always turn his hands.