There was a time in Test cricket when the square cut was a statement of authority, the sort of shot you’d play only after letting bowlers know you were in. For Yashasvi Jaiswal, though, it has become both his crown jewel and his Achilles heel. No other batter since his debut has milked more Test runs with the cut shot, 294 to be precise, a tally that shows how devastating he can be when he frees his arms.

 

But with great productivity comes great predictability. In his last eight innings, Jaiswal has perished four times playing the same stroke, joining a worrying pattern that South Africa, like West Indies before them, has now started scripting with clinical accuracy. At Eden Gardens, Marco Jansen didn’t so much dismiss him as decode him: a barrage of bouncers, a change in length, and then the temptation ball close enough to tease, but not wide enough to cut.

 

Bowling Intelligence Meets Batting Impulse

 

South Africa’s approach to Jaiswal wasn’t just good bowling; it was planned chess. First, short stuff to rattle his balance. Then, the “dummy” delivery, close enough to look cuttable but too tight for the horizontal bat. Bowlers know Jaiswal searches for room outside off because it’s his most fruitful zone. So they created a fake room. And he fell for it.

 

This is not a one-off. West Indies’ Jayden Seales used the same setup in Ahmedabad: angle in, hold the line, no width, wait for the cut. Jaiswal obliged then, too. The problem isn’t the shot, it’s when he plays it.

 

The Hard-Ball Hazard That Changes Everything

 

Modern bowlers study patterns quickly than ever. With the hard new ball, the bounce is exaggerated; the margin of error shrinks. Varun’s point from the source hits home: Jaiswal is simply not respecting early conditions enough. On day one, with a hard Kookaburra, risk rises. The same ball that sits up for a cut after 20 overs climbs like a rocket in the first five.

 

England exposed this during India’s last series: they set a deep point immediately, not to defend but to provoke. They knew his strength could also be his downfall. Modern Test cricket is full of such reverse traps.

 

Growing Pains or Technical Blind Spot?

 

This phase of a young batter’s career is predictable: early success builds a scoring identity; the world then targets that identity. Jaiswal is still relatively new, and bowlers have begun to map his scoring GPS. That means he now needs to evolve. Choosing vertical-bat punches instead of horizontal-bat cuts to balls too close to the body is not defensive play; it’s survival.

 

Yashasvi Jaiswal is too good a player to let a single shot script repeated downfalls. The cut will always be his scoring artery, and nobody should ask him to eliminate it. What he must weed out is the impatience, the urge to dominate before he has sized up the pitch, ball, and rhythm of the day.

 

South Africa’s plan worked because it preyed on habit. As with every young Test batter, the next step is tactical maturity. If he can learn to delay the cut until conditions soften, he doesn’t just fix a weakness; he reclaims his strongest weapon on his own terms.

 

Key Takeaway

 

Jaiswal doesn’t need fewer cut shots; he needs smarter ones.

 

FAQs

 

1. Why is Jaiswal getting out to the cut shot so often?

 

Because bowlers are now deliberately bowling tight lines to tempt him into playing it when the ball is too close to his body.

 

2. What should Jaiswal change in his batting approach?

 

He needs better shot selection against the new ball and must wait for genuine width before cutting.

 

3. How are teams planning against him?

 

By using bouncers early, reducing width, then offering trap balls that appear cuttable but are positioned to induce edges or inside-edges.

 

Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.

 

Step into the world of cricket with JeetBuzz News—where expert opinions, trending Blogs, and behind-the-scenes insights meet all your favorite topics. Stay informed, stay entertained, and never miss the stories shaping the cricketing world—only on JeetBuzz News!