'There's a bit of uncertainty and maybe a lack of confidence creeping into Jaiswal's game.'
Yashasvi Jaiswal's promising start to the England series has faded into inconsistency -- the legendary Sunil Gavaskar has pointed out a growing technical issue that could derail the left-hander if left unaddressed.
Gavaskar has raised concerns over Jaiswal's recurring struggles against deliveries angling in from around the wicket, following the opener's latest failure in the fifth Test against England at The Oval.
Jaiswal, who has not posted a big score since the second Test at Edgbaston, was dismissed cheaply for 2 off 9 balls in the opening session, trapped lbw by Gus Atkinson. The delivery jagged sharply back into him from around the wicket -- an angle that has repeatedly troubled him throughout the series.
Speaking on Sony Sports, Gavaskar dissected Jaiswal's technique and the apparent drop in confidence since his strong start to the series.
'There's a bit of uncertainty and maybe a lack of confidence creeping into Jaiswal's game. After scoring a hundred in the first Test, he hasn't looked very fluent. That's possibly why he's not getting his front foot far enough forward to smother this return,' Gavaskar, one of the game's finest opening batters, pointed out.
'But he's a good player. I think if someone sits with him and works on a few technical aspects -- like getting his front foot forward and not opening up his shoulder too much -- it could help.
'Right now, his back shoulder is going towards first or second slip, which makes it hard for the bat to come down straight. If his shoulder stayed more towards the wicket-keeper and first slip, the bat would come down straighter,' Gavaskar explained.
The numbers back Gavaskar's assessment. Prior to this series, Jaiswal averaged a remarkable 116 against right-arm seamers from around the wicket, having been dismissed only once. However, that figure has nosedived to 24.7 in the ongoing series, with seven dismissals against the same bowling angle.
Jaiswal began the England series in fine touch, scoring 101 and 87 in the first two Tests. But since then, the runs have dried up -- he has managed only one half-century in his last five innings.
Overall, he has scored 293 runs in nine innings at an average of 32.55, with one century and two fifties.
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