ENG vs IND 2025: Former India fielding coach defends Yashasvi Jaiswal after blunders in Leeds Test

India’s five-wicket defeat in the first Test at Headingley came disappointingly, especially after the solid performances from the top-order batters. But while five centuries guided India to a target of 371 for England, their performance with the ball and several missed opportunities in the field, particularly dropped catches, cost them the game. First-innings centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped four catches, giving England many chances to complete the chase.

Jaiswal dropped Ben Duckett twice, once on 11 and later on 97, as the England opener went on to score 62 and then a match-winning 149. Jaiswal also missed chances to dismiss Ollie Pope (dropped on 60, scored 106) and Harry Brook (dropped on 83, scored 99).

These chances directly contributed to England adding over 160 runs, ultimately winning the match. However, former India fielding coach R Sridhar defended the young opener. Sridhar mentioned the difficulty of adapting to English conditions, especially for a player on his first tour. 

“Going on the first tour to England and adapting and being a good slip fielder is not an easy task. You can practice all you want, but in the match, it’s quite challenging. The conditions are very cold, so the fingers get very numb. And secondly, the Dukes ball wobbles a lot as it comes towards you. It’s not easy to catch. In England, sighting is very difficult. The Oval or Leeds are two of the most challenging grounds.

“Leeds has a slope which runs down from the pavilion side to the Kirkstall Lane end. And it’s very windy, and that messes with your rhythm and depth perception. Even England dropped catches. It’s not always about ability – often, it’s about conditions,” Sridhar told Sportstar.

It’s easy to sit in the commentary box and criticise: Sridhar

Notably, the visitors dropped 10 catches in the match, their highest in a Test since 2011, with Jaiswal responsible for four. Those missed chances allowed England’s batters to capitalize on the chances and chase down the target with 14 overs in the day still left. Sridhar pointed out that Jaiswal is an exceptional fielder and slammed the critics who have been behind the southpaw ever since. 

“He’s actually an excellent gully fielder. Make no mistake. He’s had just two bad games – one in Melbourne, one here in Leeds. Otherwise, he’s been exceptional. The catches he took against Bangladesh in Kanpur were outstanding. It’s easy to sit in the commentary box and criticise, but these are challenging conditions. And for many of them, it’s their first experience of this environment,” Sridhar added.