Jaiswal's Fielding Under Fire: Headingley Errors Spark Resurfaced MCG Drop Compilation; Coach, Teammates Offer Support

Jaiswal's Fielding Woes Under Scrutiny After Headingley Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young Indian batter, experienced a challenging time in the field during the recent Headingley Test, despite his impressive century on the opening day.

He dropped a total of four catches in the match, contributing to England's five-wicket victory. This performance also marked him as the first Indian cricketer to drop four catches in a single Test innings.

Following the Headingley Test, an old video has resurfaced, highlighting Jaiswal's fielding struggles. The video shows him missing three chances during Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Despite the criticism, Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended Yashasvi Jaiswal, stating, "Catches do get dropped. The best fielders have missed catches. None of them did it on purpose."

Jasprit Bumrah echoed this sentiment, acknowledging that dropped catches are unintentional. He also highlighted the challenges of fielding in cold weather, where sighting the ball can be difficult. "Drop catches, I understand nobody is doing it on purpose. And obviously, everyone is trying their best. In cold weather, the ball is sometimes difficult to sight over here as well. So, I do understand. But yes, some things are part and parcel of the game," Bumrah said.

Former India off-spinner R Ashwin also urged fans and critics to offer Jaiswal some leniency.

Ashwin explained the difficulties of catching in English conditions, emphasizing the impact of the cold weather and the feel of the Dukes ball. "There has been some talk about his catching in the slip cordon. Yes, he has found it tough. But let’s all just understand something — and cut him some slack — which we often fail to do: how difficult it is to catch, not just in English conditions," Ashwin said in a video.

"It’s cold weather, and it’s also about the feel of the Dukes ball. It can take some adaptation time. The SG ball feels nice and comfortable in the hand; the Kookaburra feels smaller. The Dukes is harder and, from a feel perspective, feels bigger. It’s not easy," Ashwin added.