• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Cut Him Some Slack Ashwin Defends Jaiswal After Slip Catching Blunders At Headingley

"The Duke Is Harder...": Ravi Ashwin Decodes The Reason Behind Jaiswal's Terrible Catching

Jatin

Jasprit Bumrah and Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: @chitta2019, @s_for_swati/x.com]Jasprit Bumrah and Yashasvi Jaiswal [Source: @chitta2019, @s_for_swati/x.com]

The Indian team might be on top in the Headingley Test but all hasn’t gone to plan, especially in the slip cordon. Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been flying high with the bat, had a shocker in the field, dropping three chances: all off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling and drawing flak from fans online but Ravichandran Ashwin isn’t having any of it.

Ravichandran Ashwin Defends Yashasvi Jaiswal's Catch Drops

In his latest video on X, Ravichandran Ashwin stepped in to defend the young gun, pointing out what most armchair critics ignore: the Duke’s ball isn’t your usual cherry.

“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… it’s cold weather and it’s also about the feel of the Duke’s ball. It can take some adaptation time,” Ashwin explained.

Ashwin broke down the science behind it like only he can.

 “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.”

That may sound technical, but here is the bottom line: adjusting to English conditions isn’t a walk in the park, even for someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has otherwise been one of India’s most improved slip fielders.

“He’s been one of the most improved slip fielders that India has had. He has taken some fantastic catches in the recent past… we should give him some time,” Ashwin said.

India’s overall catching effort hasn’t been much to write home about either. Six chances have gone begging in this Test so far, one of the worst fielding returns for the team in recent years. And while Jaiswal’s triple drop grabbed headlines, Bumrah has been the unlucky bowler left frustrated time and again.

Pant Steals The Show With Twin Centuries

On the other end of the spectrum is Rishabh Pant, who has had a dream Test. Not just one, but two blazing centuries, becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to achieve that feat in a single Test.

“A twin hundred for Rishabh… a massive achievement,” Ashwin said. 

But he didn’t stop there. In true Ashwin fashion, he added a slice of realism too.

“His modus operandi has always been up for questioning… he played a slog sweep against Brydon Carse which didn’t seem like percentage cricket… very questionable tactics.”

But Ashwin knows that is the price of flair.

“If he’s going to take the sword, might as well judge him by the performance and not by how he does it.”

In a game full of highs and lows, Ashwin’s words stood out, not just as analysis but as support.