Yashasvi Jaiswal becomes fifth Indian to score 600 or more runs in Test series

Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal (Pic: AFP)

Opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal on Saturday became only the fifth Indian to score 600 or more runs in a Test series, during the second day's play of the IND vs ENG 4th Test.

The left-handed Jaiswal, who made his India debut last year during the tour of the West Indies, achieved the feat in his seventh innings of the ongoing five-match Test series when he took a single off Shoaib Bashir to reach 55 not out during the final session.

On a run-making spree, Jaiswal struck two double hundreds in the second and third Tests against England in the ongoing series.

The 22-year-old Jaiswal joined Indian batting legends Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid as well as Dilip Sardesai to amass more than 600 runs in a Test series.

Former Indian captains Gavaskar, Kohli and Dravid had amassed more than 600 runs in Test series twice in their careers while Sardesai recorded his feat during the away series in the West Indies in 1970-71.

It was in the same 1970-71 series in the West Indies that Gavaskar created the record of most runs for any Indian batter in a Test series, garnering 774 runs at 154.8 with four centuries and three half-centuries.

Gavaskar holds the distinction of being the only Indian to have scored more than 700 runs in a Test series on two occasions.

The 'Little Master' also churned out 732 runs in six Tests at 91.5 with four tons and a fifty when the West Indies toured India in 1978-79.

The world record for most runs in a Test series is held by Australian batting legend Donald Bradman, who made 974 runs in five Tests against England at 139.14 with four centuries in 1930.

While Jaiswal stood firm, India kept losing wickets to Shoaib Bashir (3/32) at the other end with Shubman Gill (38), Rajat Patidar (17) and Ravindra Jadeja (12) falling in addition of just 44 runs in the IND vs ENG 4th Test.

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England were bowled out for 353 in the opening session with Joe Root standing tall with an unbeaten 122 as the visitors showed tremendous recovery from being reduced to 112/5 at one stage on the opening day.

In reply, India lost skipper Rohit Sharma (2) cheaply inside the third over when old warhorse James Anderson produced a superb delivery that moved away slightly off the surface after pitching on a perfect length.

After a watchful start, Gill acclerated in the post-lunch session, taking on Anderson with two elegant boundaries -- one flick off the pads, and a punch straight back down the ground.

But the young off-spinner Bashir, who came in place of Rehan Ahmed, provided the breakthrough for England, breaking the fine 82-run alliance between Gill and Jaiswal.

He delivered a ball that took off from the crack just outside off stump, trapped Gill on the pad as Indians reviewed unsuccessfully.

Jaiswal also survived a scare on 40 when he edged one to Ben Foakes, who took a forward diving catch but replays confirmed that the ball had bounce on the ground before going into his glove.

Jaiswal then used his feet to Robinson, and even danced down the track to launch Bashir over long-on for a maximum.

Patidar played a nervous innings before getting out for 17, while Jadeja again batting at No 5 got out for 12 at the stroke of tea.

(With agency inputs)