Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has lavished praise on young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, describing him as a player capable of scoring "more than 40 Test hundreds" and breaking numerous records in the future. After a first-innings duck, the 22-year-old opener bounced back with a composed yet aggressive 161-run knock against Australia's formidable bowling attack at Perth's Optus Stadium during the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Speaking on The Grade Cricketer Podcast, Maxwell reminisced about playing alongside Jaiswal in the IPL when the youngster was a teenage sensation. He also highlighted a key moment in Jaiswal's career: this year's home series against England, where Jaiswal topped the charts with 712 runs in five matches at an average of 89.00, including two double centuries and three fifties, with a best score of 214*.
Maxwell emphasized Jaiswal's ability to dominate across formats and warned that the young batter could be a major challenge for Australia.
"Jaiswal does not seem to have many weaknesses; he handles short balls well, drives beautifully, plays spin exceptionally, and can absorb pressure for extended periods. He is probably going to score more than 40 Test hundreds and break multiple records.
His adaptability to any conditions is incredible. It could become quite daunting for Australia if we don't figure out a way to stop him in the upcoming games. He has different gears, crisp footwork, and answers to everything," said Maxwell. In 15 Tests, Jaiswal has amassed 1,568 runs at an average of 58.07, with four centuries and eight fifties. His best score is 214*, and all his centuries have been converted into scores of 150 or more.
These matches have all come during the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle, where Jaiswal is the second-highest run-scorer behind England's Joe Root, who has accumulated 1,750 runs in 19 matches, including six centuries and six fifties. Jaiswal's home record is remarkable, with 1,091 runs in 10 Tests at an average of 60.61 and a strike rate of 76.29, including two centuries and seven fifties. His best score is 214*.
Away from home, he has played five Tests, scoring 477 runs in nine innings at an average of 53.00, with two centuries and one fifty. His highest overseas score is 171 against the West Indies. In 2024, Jaiswal is the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, with 1,280 runs at an average of 58.18 and a strike rate of over 72, including three centuries and seven fifties.
Joe Root leads the charts with 1,338 runs in 14 Tests, including five centuries and four fifties. The second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will be a day-night pink-ball match, scheduled to take place at Adelaide Oval from December 6.
