Yashasvi Jaiswal looks well-placed to carry forward the glorious legacy of batting excellence established by the likes of Sachin Tendukar and Virat Kohli, said former India coach Greg Chappell, waxing eloquent on the country’s cricketing infrastructure and planning.
Chappell said he was highly impressed with Jaiswal, who smashed a 161-run knock in the opening Test against Australia in Perth to be one among the architects of the visitors’ 295-run win on Sunday.
“The young opener is fearless and appears poised to inherit the mantle of Indian batting excellence, following the likes of Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar,” Chappell said in his column in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Chappell, who worked as India head coach between 2005-2007, also spoke about the wide gulf in planning between the Indian and Australian cricketing establishment when it came to grooming youngsters for traditional formats.
“Jaiswal’s journey encapsulates why India’s planning and infrastructure give them a clear edge in world cricket. The young left-hander moved to Mumbai at 10, seeking the best competition to realise his dream of representing India,” Chappell stated.
“Considering the staggering odds of breaking into the Indian XI, his determination is remarkable. There are so many players in India who are good enough to play Test cricket, but some can’t even get a game for their state team,” said the former skipper, who had a fair idea about India’s domestic structure.
Chappell then presented numbers to compare Jaiswal with 25-year-old Australian debutant Nathan McSweeney, who hasn’t yet played much despite being older than Jaiswal.
“A comparison with Australia’s Nathan McSweeney is illuminating. At 22, Jaiswal has played 14 Tests, 30 first-class matches, 32 List A games, and 53 IPL matches. By contrast, McSweeney, at 25, has just made his debut Test, with just 34 first-class, 22 List A, and 18 T20 matches under his belt.”
happell, who shared a fantastic working relationship with the then captain Rahul Dravid during his days in India, lauded his junior cricket programme at the National Cricket Academy.
He believes that Indian cricket’s junior red-ball programme is second to none with opportunities to play multiple matches. At times, he has felt that when India Under-19 played other teams, it seemed “men were playing with boys” in terms of game awareness.
“India’s system prioritised long-form cricket at the youth level under Rahul Dravid’s leadership. This focus ensures that players are well-versed in the nuances of the game.
“In contrast, Australia’s system limits opportunities for young cricketers, prioritising school commitments over competition during much of the year,” he noted.
Chappell also recalled his interaction with a young Sarfaraz Khan some years back.
“When I asked a young Sarfaraz Khan — who has played six Tests for India but can’t break into this team — about the balance between cricket and school for him as a then 16-year-old, he said, ‘Oh, I don’t go to school, I can go to school later if I want to, but I only get one chance at cricket’,” he recalled.
happell, who has worked extensively in Cricket Australia’s junior talent programme, warned the stakeholders that lack of competitive matches would hurt development of young players.
“The lack of competitive matches at a young age leaves Australian players less prepared to handle the demands of international cricket. No amount of net practice can replicate the experience gained from playing meaningful games.
“Without significant changes to our development pathways, we risk falling further behind.”
