Yashasvi Jaiswal breaks into top 10 in ICC rankings for Test batters
Dubai, Mar 6: Young India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal on Wednesday broke into the top-10 of the ICC rankings for Test batters for the first time in his career on the back of his tremendous form in the ongoing home series against England.
Jaiswal, who made his Test debut in 2023, jumped two places to be at 10th spot with 727 rating points to his kitty.
In red-hot form with the bat against England, Jaiswal has already created history by joining an exclusive club of Indian batters to have scored 600 and more runs in a Test series. He is the lone left-handed batter to have achieved the feat.
The 22-year-old is only the fifth Indian ever to have crossed the 600-run mark in a Test series with others being Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Sardesai, Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli.
With 655 runs in four Tests at 93.57 which includes two fifties and as many centuries -- both converted into double hundreds -- Jaiswal could well be targeting the legendary Sunil Gavaskar's record of most runs (774) for any Indian batter in a Test series.
Meanwhile, a fine knock of 131 in Rajkot in the third Test against England has propelled Rohit Sharma to the 11th spot with the Indian skipper moving up two positions.
Star batter Virat Kohli, who has missed the entire five-Test series against England, also moved up one spot to be at eighth.
Among the top three batters, Joe Root replaced Steve Smith at the second spot after the English batter scored a quality century in the fourth Test in Ranchi but the Australian's struggle persisting for big scores at the opening slot.
A loss in form with the bat for Marnus Labuschagne meant the right-handed Australian batter slipped as many as five positions after twin failures in the Wellington Test against New Zealand.
Among bowlers, India's Ravindra Jadeja slipped one spot to be at seventh but Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon both moved up in the rankings to get to fourth and sixth respectively, following Australia's huge win by 172 runs over New Zealand.
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Ram Temple built due to commitment of those in power; India already a Hindu Rashtra: Bhagwat
Nagpur (PTI): The Ram Temple in Ayodhya was built due to the commitment of those in power and the support of everyone in the country, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said, emphasising that there is no need to declare India a Hindu Rashtra as it already is.
He was addressing a programme on Monday to felicitate individuals under whose leadership and guidance the Ram temple was constructed. The programme was organised by Dr Hedgewar Smarak Samiti in Reshimbagh here, according to a release issued by RSS.
Bhagwat said the temple was built by Lord Ram’s own will. Comparing it to the lifting of Govardhan (the mountain by Lord Krishna), he said such a feat does not happen unless everyone contributes.
"It rests on the Lord’s fingertip, but that fingertip does not move until people contribute their wood. The temple was built in the same way," he said.
Bhagwat further said that for the resurgence of Sanatan Dharma, the resurgence of Bharat is essential—an idea expressed 150 years ago by Yogi Aurobindo. As each contribution is made, he said, divine power continues to guide the fulfilment of this resolve.
The process of resurgence began in 1857, he pointed out.
Referring to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Bhagwat said that when the new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath, The Guardian in London published an article stating, "On this day, Indians have finally said goodbye to the British."
"Technically, we said goodbye on August 15, 1947, but we were not fully certain," he added.
Bhagwat questioned whether the Ram Temple would have been built without committed leadership.
If those in power were not committed, would the temple have been built? he asked.
"Bharat must rise. But what is Bharat? What kind of resurgence? What is Bharat-India? We were lost in this dilemma, and time was also lost.
"But our country chose a path. If there hadn't been such a massive movement (Ramjanmabhoomi Andolan), would the temple have been built? The movement happened on such a scale. But if those in power weren't committed to building the Ram temple, would it have been built?" he asked.
The RSS chief reiterated that the temple was built with the support of every individual in the country.
"The decision to build the temple was made, but without a strong foundation, how would it stand? Every person in Bharatvarsh contributed. Then Lord Ram’s fingertip performed its miracle, and this process will continue," he said.
Bhagwat also noted that the idea of Hindustan as a Hindu Rashtra was once mocked.
"Hindustan is a Hindu Rashtra. Until the Ram Temple was built, people laughed at this claim. Today, the same people say Hindustan is the land of Hindus," he said.
Many people ask the RSS to declare India a Hindu Rashtra, "but we say there is no need to declare what's already true, Bhagwat stressed.
"The Sun rises in the east—do we need to declare it? Similarly, Bharat is a Hindu Rashtra; it is already a reality, and everyone accepts it. But back then? Everyone mocked it. Those early inexperienced workers had faith in their hearts, belief in (RSS founder) Dr Hedgewar's words, so despite all this, they kept working," he said.
Bhagwat said the felicitation event was a way to express gratitude to all those who contributed to building the temple.
"They have done their work; now we must do ours. They were given the specific task of building the temple, and they excelled beyond expectations, making it more grand and beautiful than imagined, and it will be even more beautiful," he added.
Future plans are underway, Bhagwat said and called on people to contribute towards making the nation stronger and more prosperous.
"We must work to make it greater, more grand, and more beautiful than imagined, so that Dharma is established in the world,” he said.
He said the world's need can only be fulfilled by Bharat, and Bharat's resurgence will be done by Bharat's children, and that no other country will save Bharat.
"Bharat will rise great and save the whole world. This is written fate. If we contribute to fulfilling it, it will happen sooner, with minimal loss," he added.
