The opener hit slow left-hander Jomel Warrickan in the head, creating his first six in Tests, and had reached 171 points when paceman Alzarri Joseph got behind him. Jaiswal did not look happy, though he scored the highest score among debutants outside India and played more balls than any of India’s previous debut center-backs.

The 21-year-old starts the video by saying hello and a wide smile on his face.

Kaafi acha laga (It’s an amazing feeling), he says.

My debut was the biggest highlight and to get the Player of the Match award in the first Test match is also amazing, he adds.

Few stories sound as inspiring as Jaiswal’s and now he is just one night away from the moment he has been dreaming of all along. He has been through extraordinary hardships, selling pani puri outside the Wankhede Stadium, living in a tent in the Maidans, surviving the monsoon and humidity of Mumbai, and yet finding time to learn and play the game he loves the most. Making his debut on a surface similar to Mumbai’s maidans, Jaiswal showed why all the hype around him was real and also showcased his skill with the bat.

Bahut hi lambi journey rahi hai (It has been a long journey). I have imagined myself playing for India so many times, said an emotional Jaiswal.

This is just the beginning and by God’s grace I want to continue this hard work