A batting display concludes the month of February, with three top-order hitters, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Kane Williamson, and Pathum Nissanka, nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal and Williamson dominated Test cricket, Nissanka had unprecedented success in white-ball forms.
The youthful Indian opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, had a remarkable month. Elevating an inexperienced team, he secured a strong 3-1 series lead against England. The shocking series opener loss at January’s close was a blow to India. Jaiswal, however, in the second and third Tests, confidently delivered back-to-back double centuries.
The southpaw scored another useful 73 in the first innings of the fourth Test in Ranchi, capping out the month with a crucial 38 in India’s successful run chase of 192.
From dominating the run-scoring rankings for the current 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle to becoming the third youngest to score two 200s in Tests, Yashasvi Jaiswal had a month like few others. He concluded February with a stunning 560 runs in three Tests, averaging 112.
Meanwhile, Kane Williamson replicated Yashasvi Jaiswal’s exploits in the home Test series against South Africa. The champion batsman made hundreds in both innings of New Zealand’s first Test victory at Mount Maunganui.
Williamson then crushed the feeble Proteas attack, smashing a match-winning 133* in a 267-run chase in the second Test. The 33-year-old also became the fastest to reach 32 Test hundreds by innings (172), surpassing Steve Smith’s 174.
Nissanka’s batting in the ODI series against Afghanistan enthralled viewers. With his 210* in the first ODI, the opener became the first Sri Lankan to reach two centuries.
Nissanka struck another stunning century in the final to help the Lankans secure a series sweep. The 25-year-old also hit an undefeated 60 in the last T20I of the three-game series against Afghanistan.
Yashasvi Jaiswal aims to break Sunil Gavaskar’s record in Dharamsala series
Yashasvi Jaiswal is now a part of an elite group, following an impressive achievement. Only four Indian cricketers before him have scored over 600 runs in a Test series. These players are Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, and Dilip Sardesai. Yashasvi reached this milestone during India’s fourth Test match victory against England in Ranchi.
With the series finale in Dharamsala yet to come, Yashasvi Jaiswal has an excellent potential to make history by becoming the Indian cricketer with the most runs in a single series.
Sunil Gavaskar now leads the way with 774 runs scored in the West Indies series in 1970-71. Jaiswal has 655 runs and will need another 120 in the series finale against England to complete the unprecedented achievement.
Sir Donald Bradman holds the record for the most runs in a Test series between nations, with 974 in the 1930 Ashes.
