Despite the swashbuckling century in the first innings at Headingley, the 23-year-old young Yashasvi Jaiswal was dragged under a massive troll after dropping catches at the slip. It's not that the entire team had a good time on the field (6 dropped catches overall), but Jaiswal literally dropped Harry Brook thrice as the latter went on to score 99. Amidst all criticisms, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had a logic behind why Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped catches at the slip.
According to Ashwin, each ball behaves differently. Predominantly, there are three different types of ball that comes in play- The Sanspareils Greenlands, aka the SG ball; the Kookaburra ball; and the Duke's ball. In England, it's the Dukes ball, which according to Ashwin, is way bigger and harder than the other two. Not only that, the cold, cloudy weather also plays an important role. Speaking on his X handle, Ash said,
"There has been some talk about his catching at 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 is how difficult it is to catch, not just in English conditions. It’s cold weather and it’s also about the feel of the Duke’s ball. It can take some adaptation time. The SG ball feels nice and comfortable inside the hand, the Kookaburra feels smaller. The Duke’s is harder and definitely, from a field perspective, feels bigger and it’s not easy."
Read also: Prasidh Falls After Brook Banter, India Sets 371 at Headingley
He added,
"He’s been one of the most improved slip fielders that India has had. He has taken some fantastic catches in the recent past, especially in Test cricket, so we should give him some time."
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Ravichandran Ashwin further praised Rishabh Pant for his twin centuries in the Test, calling it a significant achievement. However, he also noted that Pant’s approach has often drawn criticism. Referring to some of his shot selections—like a slog sweep against Brydon Carse and a similar attempt that led to his dismissal in Melbourne—Ashwin described them as questionable tactics. Still, he emphasized that Pant should be judged by his results rather than his methods.
