'They just didn't stick' - Greg Chappell defends Yashaswi Jaiswal after Headingley fielding woes

Indian Test opener Yashasvi Jaiswal came under scrutiny after dropping four catches during the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. He put down two straightforward chances in the slips and missed two arguably more difficult ones.

Former Indian head coach Greg Chappell defended the young left-hander by stating that Jaiswal has no technical deficiencies when it comes to catching. Chappell suggested that it simply was not his day and added that a possible hand injury might have played a role.

Since 2023, Jaiswal has dropped eight catches in total -  the most drops by an Indian fielder - seven of which have come in just two matches.

“India dropped several catches in Leeds, and while Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja were among those involved, both are usually safe hands. The drops I saw didn’t look technical – they just didn’t stick. It can happen to the best,” Chappell wrote in an ESPNcricinfo column.

“That said, Jaiswal gives the impression of being low on confidence or that he is suffering a hand injury. He seems to be hoping to catch them rather than expecting to. One of his missed chances came with him running in from the boundary – a low, skimming catch. For my money, that’s one of the hardest in cricket,” Chappall added.

The former Australian cricketer also pointed out that the rise of white-ball cricket has led to a decline in slip fielding skills among players, as outfield catches have become more common in the modern game.

“With the advent of more white-ball cricket, the specialist slip fielder is not getting as many opportunities as was once the case. All the more reason why catching practice, in particular, has to be as game-like as possible,” he concluded.

India will face England in the second Test at Edgbaston on July 2, where all eyes will be on Jaiswal, not just for his batting, but more so for his performance in the fielding.