Gambhir: Let Yashasvi play, do not over-hype achievements

Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir cautions against over-hyping Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double hundred, emphasizing the importance of letting young players play their natural game.

India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrates. | Photo Credit: DEEPAK KR

Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir is not in favour of over-hyping Yashasvi Jaiswal’s double hundred in the second Test against England as he feels the natural game of youngsters like him is adversely affected by the increased burden of expectations.

India opener Jaiswal scored his maiden Test double hundred in the ongoing second Test in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, becoming the third-youngest Indian to achieve the feat.

Playing only his sixth Test, the 22-year-old’s sensational knock of 209 off 290 balls single-handedly powered India to 396 all out in 112 overs on the second day of the match.

Jaiswal’s accomplishment marked him as the first Indian left-hander since Gambhir to score a double hundred in the traditional format. Gambhir achieved the feat in 2008 against Australia.

“I want to congratulate the youngster for his achievement, but, more importantly, I want to tell everyone that let the young man play. We have seen in the past that in India we have a habit, especially the media, to over-hype their achievements, and give them tags and make them look like heroes,” Gambhir told PTI during an interaction.

“The pressure of expectation gets the better of them, and the players are not able to play their natural game. Let him grow, and, enjoy his cricket,” added Gambhir.

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While Jaiswal has excelled with the bat so far in the Test series, Shubman Gill and middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer have struggled for runs, and the 42-year-old cricketer-turned-politician backed the under-performing players, saying they should be given more time.

Both Gill and Iyer made promising starts in the second Test but failed to convert them into substantial totals. Gill, who scored 34 in the first innings in Visakhapatnam, has not scored a half-century in his last nine Test innings, while Iyer too, has been off-colour.

“We should give them time as they are quality players, and they have shown it in the past with their performance. That is why they are playing for India,” Gambhir said.

It must be mentioned that Iyer is the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders, a franchise where the former India opener has come back as the Mentor for the next edition of the Indian Premier League.