Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra hailed Yashasvi Jaiswal for his impressive knock on the opening day of the first Test match against England at Hyderabad on Thursday, stating he is no longer the future, he is the present of Indian cricket.

The left-hander took the attack to England bowlers, particularly debutant Tom Hartley, smashing the left-arm orthodox spinner for 44 runs off just 26 balls. Jaiswal scored nine fours and three sixes in his blistering knock of 76 runs off just 70 balls.

The southpaw added 80 runs with Rohit Sharma to put India in a commanding position. The 22-year-old showed no respite to Tom Hartley whenever the debutant erred in line and length.

Jaiswal has scored 392 runs in five Test matches at an impressive average of 76 and he has shown the skills to go a long way in his career.

Chopra took to X and wrote, “Yashasvi is a star, the attitude and the game-awareness. The style and the substance. Keep shining, young man. You’re no longer the future of Indian cricket, you’re the present.”

On the other hand, Indian all-rounder Axar Patel also showered praise on Jaiswal for his blistering knock. Patel lauded Jaiswal for taking an aggressive approach against England bowlers.

”We enjoyed the way Yashasvi was batting and he took on the spinners from the very first over. It was very good to unsettle them early,” Axar was quoted as saying in the press conference after the day’s play.

Meanwhile, Jaiswal could only add four runs on the second day morning as he was dismissed after scoring 80 runs by Joe Root.

Jaiswal must have grown in confidence after playing a fine knock and he will look to continue the good show for India. The hosts are currently 234-4 and they trail by 12 runs.