As the Himachal Pradesh players carried out their regular morning drills before the start of play on Day 2 of their Ranji Trophy clash against Mumbai at the Sharad Pawar Bandra–Kurla Complex, attention gradually turned to a nearby practice net. There, a lean left-hander was engrossed in a focused training session — a final tune-up before a major challenge awaited him.
It was none other than Yashasvi Jaiswal, India’s promising young opening batter, who turned up at the venue for an early morning net session on Sunday — just five days ahead of the first Test against South Africa in Kolkata. The 23-year-old appeared fully concentrated, taking throwdowns and carefully working on leaving deliveries outside the off stump while ensuring a straight bat in his defensive play.
According to onlookers, Jaiswal arrived at the ground at around 8 a.m., beginning an intense batting stint that lasted for over an hour. After a short break, he shifted to another practice net on the opposite side of the ground to continue refining his timing and footwork.
The young southpaw enters the South Africa series in exceptional touch. In Mumbai’s previous Ranji Trophy fixture against Rajasthan in Jaipur, he struck a commanding 156 runs in the second innings, steering his team to a draw. Earlier in the season, he had also produced a sparkling 175-run knock against the West Indies in New Delhi, reaffirming his ability to perform in longer formats.
Jaiswal has been India’s first-choice Test opener since Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format in May 2025. Alongside KL Rahul, he has forged a productive opening partnership that has repeatedly provided India with solid starts, neutralising the early movement of the new ball and allowing the middle order to build from a steady platform.
Moreover, Jaiswal is no stranger to South Africa’s fiery pace attack. He was part of India’s 2023–24 tour of South Africa, where the two-Test series ended 1–1. That experience is expected to serve him well as India prepare to host the Proteas in what promises to be an enthralling contest.
| Key Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Venue of training | Sharad Pawar Bandra–Kurla Complex, Mumbai |
| Time of training | Around 8:00 a.m. |
| Upcoming fixture | India vs South Africa, 1st Test at Kolkata |
| Recent achievements | 156 vs Rajasthan (Ranji Trophy), 175 vs West Indies (Test) |
| Current form | Excellent |
| Opening partner | KL Rahul |
| Previous series vs South Africa | 2023–24 (Series drawn 1–1) |
Focused, disciplined, and full of confidence, Jaiswal’s preparations reflect a player determined to cement his place at the top of India’s Test batting order as the team eyes another strong home performance against South Africa.