The seeds of success are often planted in the most unexpected ways, and for Yashasvi Jaiswal, it was his intense and innovative pre-tour training that laid the foundation for his commanding unbeaten 90 on Day 2 of the opening Test against Australia in Perth.

Working at Rajasthan Royals’ academy in Talegaon, Maharashtra, Jaiswal’s preparation included facing short-pitched deliveries – a challenge he knew would be central to his success in Australia, on a concrete surface.

However, given the short window between the New Zealand series and the Australian tour, Jaiswal had limited time to switch gears from the turning pitches at home to the steep bounce he would face Down Under. To simulate these conditions, he set up camp at the Thane Stadium, just a short distance from his home.

Over the course of two intense days, Jaiswal faced nearly 200 overs of throw-downs, with a concrete slab placed on an inclined plane at around a 45-degree angle. This setup was specifically designed to mimic the uncomfortable, skiddy bounce he would later encounter in Australia, especially at short lengths around the rib cage and outside the off-stump.

“The time was less so he practised at the Thane Stadium. The balls that were used were lighter in nature and hence travelled quicker through the air. The concrete slab was kept at short of length and he faced roughly around 200 overs across two days before he left for Australia,” Bharucha told PTI.

The lack of breaks during the drills ensured that Jaiswal could work on his stamina and concentration, simulating the grueling nature of facing short-pitched balls for extended periods. Bharucha, who has worked with numerous players, including those in the IPL, explained that this mode of practice was designed to replicate the "skiddy" bounce found on Australian pitches.

“The rotational speed per ball is rapid, i.e., it's just ball after ball without any break. So, we can get through this easily in 2.5 hours with just a couple of breaks,” he explained.

Evolving training techniques

Traditionally, before tours to countries like Australia and South Africa, Indian players would practice on cement wickets with wet tennis balls to simulate bounce. However, as cricketing techniques and training methods evolve, so too do the ways in which players prepare for international challenges. The inclined concrete slab method is an innovation that allows for a more realistic simulation of uncomfortable bounce, a vital aspect of preparing for Australia’s fast and bouncy tracks.

A former first-class cricketer, now working as a coach, highlighted the effectiveness of this method: "Bounce is something that cannot always be simulated on turf pitches like rough that Sachin Tendulkar created for simulation. Hence concrete slab kept at an inclined plane creates that skiddy uncomfortable bounce. Also, the synthetic balls that are used are a bit softer. It looks like hockey balls but is way lighter and hence travels quicker."

This method of training is increasingly being adopted by Indian coaches, including Abhishek Nayar, who uses similar techniques with players like KKR’s Angkrish Raghuvanshi.

Jaiswal’s performance in Perth is a testament to the effectiveness of such modern training methods. On Sunday, the batter would be aiming to smash his first overseas century in the longest format of the game.

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