Yashasvi Jaiswal’s mid-pitch conversation with Sai Sudharsan on the opening day of the fourth Test match at the Old Trafford is going viral Jaiswal was trying to calm Sai down after the they took a risky run. In the 37th over, Sudharsan played a shot off Brydon Carse and immediately set off for a single, even though Jaiswal was still deep inside the non-striker’s crease. The ball just managed to beat the mid-on fielder, but a direct hit could have easily resulted in a run-out.Following the close call, Jaiswal walked over and offered a calm but firm reminder: “Sai, ball jaane toh de yaar,” urging his partner to wait and assess the field before attempting such runs.Sai Sudharsan made the opportunity count in his comeback game with a fifty as India played the old-fashioned way to reach 264 for four at stumps on day one of the fourth Test.At stumps, Ravindra Jadeja (19 batting off 37) and Shardul Thakur (19 batting off 36) were holding fort in fading light.Put in to bat in overcast conditions, Indian openers KL Rahul (46 off 98 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 107) put on 94 runs for their highest stand of the series before Sudharsan (61 off 151) produced a dogged knock under pressure to justify his selection over Karun Nair.Jaiswal, who was removed by Archer twice at Lord’s, made a conscious effort to leave balls. The southpaw was also forced to change his bat when a ball from Woakes seamed back sharply from round the wicket to hit high on his bat, breaking the handle.
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While Sudharsan was at the crease, he looked comfortable and also had luck going his way, having been dropped down the leg side on 20 by keeper Jamie Smith off Ben Stokes.He rode that luck to play a couple of pull shots off Archer before playing a crisp back foot punch off Stokes.The England captain, however, kept dragging an odd ball down the leg side in his effort to induce an edge off Sudharsan’s bat before resorting to the short ball tactic.Sudharsan was up to the task until he pulled one straight into the hands of Brydon Carse at fine leg.The young Indian batter was watchful at the start of the innings, scoring only off balls pitched on middle and leg. He flicked Archer for his first four before cover driving Liam Dawson.
