11th August 2023 Mumbai: West Indies coach Daren Sammy was all praises for India youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal, saying that the opener looked ‘ready’ for international cricket courtesy of his strong displays in First-Class cricket. Jaiswal smashed a mind-boggling knock of 171 runs in Dominica helping India win the first Test by an innings and 141 runs.
Talking about Jaiswal’s strong roots, Sammy praised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and the level of First Class cricket in India along with the ‘resources’ that have facilitated in the development of players such as Hardik Pandya and others, said the West Indies legend.
Cheeky comments on ICC 2013
The 39-year-old also couldn’t help but take a cheeky dig at India’s barren run in terms of international trophies. The last ICC trophy the Men in Blue claimed was way back in 2013 when India won the Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.
Since then, the Indian team have played in the World Test Championship (WTC) final twice but finished runners-up on both occasions including the most recent edition in 2023.
During the same period, India were also eliminated in the semifinals of the ODI World Cup in 2015 and 2019, while the West Indies won the T20 World Cup twice in 2012 and 2016 under Sammy’s captaincy and he ensured to rub that in.
Speaking exclusively to Vimal Kumar on the latter’s YouTube channel, Sammy praised the likes of Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson who have impressed the Windies coach during the ongoing Caribbean tour.
About Yashasvi, Hardik, Sanju, Gill
“When you the see the players they’ve been able to produce, Hardik Pandya, (Yashasvi) Jaiswal all the guys they produced over the years but you must also remember who’s winning the international tournaments,” quipped Sammy.
“Like I said, Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson who didn’t play, he’s been performing. Hardik Pandya who’s young but he is seasoned in the team. Again, it speaks of the system they have that keeps producing these youngsters,” he added.
Praised Jaiswal
“Jaiswal has 1800 runs in First Class cricket in nine matches, nine hundreds and then he comes to Dominica in his debut game and he looks like he belonged at the international level. That comes from the standard of First Class cricket in India that is allowing the youngsters that when they come in to be ready for international cricket,” stated Sammy further.
Jaiswal has infact 2111 runs in First-Class cricket in just 17 matches including 10 centuries and three fifties as well as a best score of 265 at a mind-boggling average of 81.19. While the youngster failed to impress on his T20I debut recently, he will be hoping to leave a lasting impression in the remaining two T20I matches.
ASC Priya