Test cricket is tough, but I'm determined to make it count: Yashasvi ...

NEW DELHI: Playing an assertive style of cricket, Yashasvi Jaiswal has already notched up two double centuries in his budding career. The young Indian opener emphasises that while Test cricket is challenging, he remains focused on converting good starts into substantial innings.The left-handed aggressive batsman showcased his prowess by scoring an unbeaten 214 off 236 balls, steering India to a formidable 430 for 4 declared in their second innings.This set England a daunting target of 557 runs.This remarkable feat marked his second double hundred in just six matches since making his debut against the West Indies in July 2023.Jaiswal also etched his name in the record books during the Rajkot Test by hitting the highest number of sixes (12) by an Indian in a Test innings, contributing significantly to India's massive 434-run victory."Test cricket is hard, but I thought that when I'm in there, I need to give my 100 per cent," Jaiswal said after India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series."I'm just trying. Whenever I'm set, I try to make it big. Because in Test cricket you never know, when you're playing well you have to make it big."Reflecting on his double century, Jaiswal mentioned that he approached the innings by taking it session by session. Additionally, he had to overcome a back problem during the course of the knock."It was pretty difficult for me because initially I wasn't getting runs. So had to play the session, and get set. That's when I felt I could score runs. "After a while my back was not good. I didn't want to go out (of the field) but since it was too much, I went out. Today when I came, I wanted to make sure that I take the game forward and bat till the end," he said.The left-hander said as an opener his job is to give the team a good start."I felt there was something in the wicket and the ball was hard. For me, it is important for me to give teams a good start so it was important for me to play long," Jaiswal said."I tell myself whenever I get set, I need to score well because you can get out anytime. My seniors have said to make it count."He was also motivated by the knocks of skipper Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja in the first innings.

"The way Rohit (Sharma) bhai and (Ravindra Jadeja) Jaddu bhai played, that motivated me a lot. Their passion determined me to play session by session. I thought inside the dugout that when I go out there I should also make it count," Jaiswal said.The fourth Test of the series will be played at Ranchi from February 23.(With inputs from PTI)