Jaiswal's Fielding Under Fire: Old Catching Errors at MCG Resurface After Headingley Struggles

Jaiswal's Fielding Woes Under Scrutiny After Headingley Test

Despite a remarkable century by Yashasvi Jaiswal on the opening day of the Leeds Test, the young cricketer's performance in the field has come under intense scrutiny.

The 23-year-old endured a difficult match, dropping four crucial catches as England secured a five-wicket victory in the Headingley Test. This performance marks Jaiswal as the first Indian cricketer to drop four catches in a single Test innings, a statistic that has amplified the criticism.

In the wake of his struggles in Leeds, an old video of Jaiswal has resurfaced, highlighting similar fielding lapses during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The video shows the Indian opener missing three opportunities on Day 4, adding fuel to the concerns about his fielding abilities.

Despite the criticism, Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended Yashasvi Jaiswal, emphasizing that dropped catches are a part of the game and that no player intentionally makes errors.

"Catches do get dropped. The best fielders have missed catches. None of them did it on purpose,” Gambhir stated.

Jasprit Bumrah echoed Gambhir's sentiments, acknowledging the challenges of fielding in cold weather conditions 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 noted.

Former India off-spinner R Ashwin has also appealed to fans and critics to show Yashasvi Jaiswal some leniency, particularly given the difficulties of catching in English conditions with 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 explained.

He further elaborated on the challenges posed by the Dukes ball, stating, "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."