Yashasvi Jaiswal had a match to forget in the field during the opening Test of the five-match series against England at Headingley, Leeds. Despite scoring a century with the bat, the young opener dropped three crucial catches within the first 90 overs of England’s first innings, all off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling. These lapses came during a critical period when India needed control, and the team’s overall fielding performance fell well below expectations.
India dropped six catches before the Tea break on Day 3—a shocking low not seen in five years. According to CricViz, this was the first time since 2019 that India spilled five or more chances in the first innings of a Test. The missed opportunities allowed England’s batters to capitalise and build a strong reply to India’s total.
Jaiswal’s first drop came late on Day 2, when he failed to hold on to a low chance from Ben Duckett on 15. Duckett went on to score 62. On Day 3, Jaiswal dropped Ollie Pope on 60—Pope later reached a solid 106. The most frustrating moment came when Jaiswal let go of a straightforward chance from Harry Brook, who was batting on 83. Brook added 16 more runs before being dismissed on 99.
Jasprit Bumrah, usually composed, could not hide his irritation after seeing four of his chances go down—three by Jaiswal and one by Rishabh Pant. Ravindra Jadeja also put down a catch, adding to India’s misery in the field. Jaiswal’s performance in the slips, in particular, drew criticism from fans and experts alike. Many questioned why the young batter continued to be placed in such a key position, despite showing nervousness and lacking the assurance needed for a close-in fielder.
Interestingly, Jaiswal was seen doing slip-catching drills before the start of play on Sunday, suggesting he was working on his fielding. But during the match, his issues seemed to be more about nerves and concentration than pure technique. His visible dip in confidence was hard to miss, and the constant scrutiny likely added to his struggle.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan pointed out that had India held on to their chances, they could have secured a lead of around 150 runs. Instead, they managed just a slender six-run lead after England were bowled out for 465.
It was Jasprit Bumrah who once again rose to the occasion, cleaning up the English tail in the extended second session. He finished with another five-wicket haul—his 12th in overseas Tests—matching the great Kapil Dev in that category. Bumrah's performance served as a reminder of his value and leadership with the ball, especially in difficult moments when others faltered.
