Jaiswal smashes double hundred on opening day; Easwaran hits ton

GWALIOR: Yashasvi Jaiswal struck a superlative double hundred as Rest of India reached a commanding 381 for three against Madhya Pradesh at stumps on the opening day of the Irani Cup here on Wednesday.

Opener Abhimanyu Easwaran (154 off 240 balls, 17 fours, 2 sixes) complemented No.3 batter Jaiswal (213 off 259 balls, 30 fours, 3 sixes) after skipper Mayank Agarwal (2) failed to make the most of the opportunity. The duo added a whopping 371 runs for the second wicket before both were dismissed in quick succession by pacer Avesh Khan (2/51) at the fag end of the day.

Easwaran completed his century way before Jaiswal, but it was the southpaw who dominated the Madhya Pradesh spinners – off-break bowler Saransh Jain (0/103 off 24 overs) and left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya (0/90 off 20 overs). Since the slow bowlers did not make an impact, as many as 47 fours and five sixes were hit by the Rest of India batters on the day.

The Madhya Pradesh bowlers toiled, but could not stop Jaiswal from having a field day at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium. The 21-year-old decorated his magnificent knock with backfoot punches and lofted shots, with successive boundaries off Avesh in the final session being the highlight of the day.

For the first four, the ball pitched back of length and jagged back in as Jaiswal made enough room for himself and used the pace of the delivery to play a deft cut behind point. Avesh came up with a bouncer off the next delivery, but Jaiswal reacted well, arching back and playing a ramp shot.

He brought up his double hundred when he followed a rank long hope from part-time spinner Shubham Sharma and cut him for a boundary. To celebrate his milestone, Jaiswal deposited a Saransh delivery into the long-off area for his third maximum.

Easwaran, who has been in the Team India scheme of things for a couple of years now, notched up his 22nd first-class century that was laced with 19 boundaries.

BRIEF SCORES: Rest of India 381/3 in 87 overs (Y Jaiswal 213, A Easwaran 154, Avesh 2/51) vs Madhya Pradesh