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India’s five-wicket defeat to England in the opening Test at Headingley not only highlighted issues with middle-order stability and bowling penetration but also exposed a critical vulnerability in the outfield particularly in Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s fielding.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dropped catches hurt India’s chances at Headingley
Jaiswal, otherwise celebrated for his batting exploits, endured a nightmare in the field, dropping at least four crucial catches across both innings. His misjudgments proved decisive, as the batters he let off went on to play major innings in England’s successful 371-run chase, England’s second-highest in Test history.
In the first innings, Jaiswal dropped Ollie Pope early at third slip, who went on to compile a solid 106. Later, he shelled a thick edge from Ben Duckett, who then scored 62. These weren’t isolated incidents. In the second innings, Jaiswal dropped Duckett yet again, a miss that turned out to be the costliest of the match, Duckett hammered a sensational 149 to power England’s chase. Additionally, Harry Brook was dropped at third slip off Mohammed Siraj’s bowling and added a crucial 99, helping England come within just six runs of India’s 471 in the first innings. In total, India dropped seven catches, with Jaiswal accounting for the bulk of them. Many believed that India’s defeat might have been averted had those opportunities been taken.
Mohammed Kaif shares his theory behind Jaiswal’s fielding woes
Fielding great and former India batter Mohammad Kaif weighed in on Jaiswal’s catching struggles and identified a subtle but significant detail, an adhesive tape wrapped around Jaiswal’s palm.
According to Kaif, the tape might have limited Jaiswal’s ability to close his fingers naturally and feel the ball properly, something crucial in the slip cordon, especially in English conditions. “Why is Yashasvi Jaiswal dropping catches? We are practicing with Duke’s ball, and when we get hurt, we put 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 explained.
Kaif, regarded as one of India’s finest fielders during his time, stressed that tape-induced stiffness could easily disrupt a fielder’s ability to react quickly and cup catches cleanly. His comments highlight how seemingly minor protective gear choices can have significant performance implications at the elite level. In a match that was balanced on fine margins, such fielding errors became magnified. Kaif concluded with a blunt but accurate assessment: “We could have won the Test match by taking the catches that were dropped,”
Why is Yashasvi Jaiswal dropping catches? The reason could be the band on his palm. Listen. pic.twitter.com/FP1O8xFwQj
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) June 25, 2025
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