There is no doubt that the spotlight in the fifth and final Test, set to begin on Thursday, will be on Ravichandran Ashwin and Jonny Bairstow, who will be playing their 100th game in the longest format.
Besides, with WTC points still at stake despite the series already been decided 3-1 in India’s favour, the outcome of the match will be keenly awaited at this picturesque stadium in the shadows of snow-covered Dhauladhar hills. But India’s young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, 22, will be in greater focus. He has been in tremendous form in this series and has hogged the headlines. Having taken to Test cricket like a duck to water, he has accumulated a whopping 971 runs in just eight matches. Now, another good knock could bring him more glory.
Fastest to 1,000 runs
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Jaiswal could become the fastest Indian to 1,000 Test runs. Vinod Kambli had done so in 12 Tests across just 14 innings. For Jaiswal, this will be his ninth Test, but 15th innings—one more than his fellow left-hander from Mumbai.
Jaiswal also has the opportunity to become only the second Indian to breach the 700-run mark in a single Test series.