I am happy to bat at No. 9, says centurion Jayant Yadav

12/12/2016

Off-spinner Jayant Yadav has revealed that he had initially hoped to score a fifty on the fourth day, but reached his maiden Test century after going with the flow. The 26-year-old also explained how he and captain Virat Kohli set up the Indian record eighth-wicket stand.

Yadav (104) became the first Indian No. 9 to score at Test ton and put on 241 with Kohli (235). “I have always been a handy batsman, ever since I started playing in junior cricket. But as I came up the ranks, I always wanted to build this side of my game and my Ranji Trophy team really helped me do it,” Haryana’s Yadav told a news conference on Sunday (Dec 11).

“Even though I was batting down I had responsibility, so taking that responsibility you really grow as an all-rounder player, I would say a holistic development of a player. I scored my double hundred at No. 9, I scored my first Test hundred at No. 9, I am happy at No. 9.”

Yadav, playing in only his third Test, was batting on 30 overnight. “To be very honest, when I came out to bat in the morning, I was just vying for the fifty because I was just 20 runs short. I just went with the flow and things just kept happening,” he said.

“I think we have to take into account the context of the game. They were attacking me more and they had very defensive fields against Virat, so that gave me an opportunity to put away the bad balls and that is what I did.

“Between overs, we just spoke about what was happening. ‘Is he trying to do something different or is he trying to do the same thing that he did in the last over?’ We had the odd laugh as well.

“Virat just said ‘keep going, don't focus on the runs, just keep playing ball to ball.’”

Their stand bettered India’s previous best of 161 run between Mohammed Azharuddin and Anil Kumble.

Yadav sympathised with the umpires whose multiple decisions have been overturned in the series through DRS.

“Yes, most definitely the umpires' job is difficult because of the crowd's noise too. It is very difficult to hear the nicks and snicks which go behind the wicket and it is very difficult to see, if they are lunging out, if there is a bat-pad or not a bat-pad. I know it is a very hard job,” he said.

I am happy to bat at No. 9, says centurion Jayant Yadav

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