Yashasvi Jaiswal's Fielding Under Fire: Headingley Errors Trigger Resurfaced MCG Drop Compilation

Jaiswal's Fielding Woes Under Scrutiny After Headingley Test

Despite a memorable century on the opening day of the Leeds Test, Yashasvi Jaiswal faced criticism for his performance in the field. The 23-year-old dropped four crucial catches during the match, contributing to England's five-wicket victory in the Headingley Test.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's costly drop during the first Test against England.

Jaiswal's unfortunate performance made him the first Indian cricketer to drop four catches in a single Test innings.

Adding to the scrutiny, an old video has resurfaced, highlighting Jaiswal's fielding struggles. The video shows the Indian opener missing three opportunities on Day 4 of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Highlights from the first Test between England and India at Headingley.

Despite the criticism, Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended Yashasvi Jaiswal, emphasizing that even the best fielders are prone to errors. "Catches do get dropped. The best fielders have missed catches. None of them did it on purpose," Gambhir told reporters.

Jasprit Bumrah echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the difficulty of fielding in cold weather conditions. "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," he said.

Former India off-spinner R Ashwin also urged fans and critics to show patience and understanding towards Jaiswal.

"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 on X.

"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, highlighting the challenges of fielding with different types of balls in varying conditions.