‘You need to control your emotions’ – Pujara and other ex-cricketers slam Yashasvi Jaiswal for ‘headbutt’ despite justification for his actions

Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s confrontation with Asitha Fernando during the opening day of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo drew sharp criticism from former cricketers and experts. The incident occurred after Jaiswal was dismissed for 45 off 53 balls when Fernando produced a delivery from round the wicket that came sharply into the India opener. Jaiswal attempted a punch through the off side but managed a thick inside edge, sending the ball onto the stumps.

What followed was a heated exchange between the two players that escalated into physical contact. The heads made contact, with Jaiswal still wearing his helmet, in what looked like a shove rather than an outright headbutt. Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva stepped in to break up the confrontation, while Devdutt Padikkal attempted to pull Jaiswal away. The India opener continued towards Fernando before the situation was eventually brought under control.

On Monday, the ICC also sanctioned Jaiswal and Fernando, fining each player 25 per cent of their match fees. Moreover, both players were also given one demerit point each. Before the start of the second day, Jaiswal responded to the criticism with a social media comment, defending his actions and saying that no one knew what was actually said to him in the middle. He ended his comment by saying that “India knows how to give back.”

“It’s not an ideal visual. As a player, you need to control your emotions. Sometimes you do get angry. I can understand that till the time he was disappointed, or he was when he was having a chat, at that time. I think that’s acceptable till then. It is all fine, but the moment it got to a point where both of them were going against each other, there was a body contact, which is not acceptable on the field,” Pujara said on the Sony Sports Network.

Former India batter WV Raman opined that Jaiswal could have been frustrated after failing to convert a start once again.

“There’s always a little bit of exchange of words on a cricket field. It happens, and especially after a wicket falls, but restraint is so important because if you don’t restrain yourself, you’re going to get in trouble, and there’s always that line that you can’t cross. He got out when he was shaping really well in the first Test,” Raman said.

“You don’t normally get run out like that in a Test match, and here once again, he was set, and he gets out to a delivery, which he could have played forward. He knows that he’s letting go of opportunities. So the little bit of frustration is coming out,” he added.

Karim calls incident puerile and unnecessary

Meanwhile, former national selector Saba Karim said that the two players should be reminded that cricket is not a contact sport and described the actions from them as immature. Karim added that many youngsters watch the matches and the players need to carry themselves in an appropriate way as brand ambassadors of the sport.

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“Someone should remind both of them that this is not a contact sport. It is cricket. You’re not supposed to headbutt each other, but I find it extremely puerile. There’s no need for something like this on a cricket field.” Karim said.

“There’ll be times when a pace bowler or a bowler will get after you. One can always remain aggressive without getting into an act like this. I think it is unnecessary, and one should always remember that all such players are brand ambassadors of this lovely sport. So many youngsters are watching it,” he added.