In response to criticism of opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for missing catches, Indian veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin defended him and urged for perspective. India lost the first Test at Leeds because the left-handed batter squandered multiple opportunities in the slip cordon.
Ashwin has supported the youngster who has received a lot of flak saying that he was not the only one fumbling as Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant dropped catches on the field in the match as well.
“Jaiswal has been one of the most improved fielders in the slip cordon… The Dukes ball feels a little bigger and harder. So, that feeling is very important. You know how much sledging is done by the crowd. So, I do feel for Yashasvi,” Ashwin said in his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat.
Mohammad Kaif, a former Indian cricket player, also provided an explanation for why Yashasvi Jaiswal missed catches at pivotal points in the game.
“Why is Yashasvi Jaiswal dropping catches? We are practising with Duke’s ball, and when we get hurt, we put on a strap. In such a situation, the fingers are stuck and there is no free movement. You can’t hold onto the catch because the strap becomes a sponge. The ball bounces off it, so that’s the drawback. The natural connection with the ball shouldn’t be lost,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Mohammad Kaif
Additionally, Ashwin demanded that Kuldeep Yadav be included in the starting lineup for the July 2 Birmingham Test.
“I want to see how England goes when they face him. If Kuldeep can get you a 3/100 and reduce the first-inning score to 350, then you have a lead of 125. I 100 per cent believed that Kuldeep had a role and he would be a decisive factor. If Kuldeep had played, it might have been a different game.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
