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India’s young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had a forgettable outing in the field during the first Test at Headingley, where his struggles in the slip cordon became a major talking point. Jaiswal endured a nightmare in the field during the first Test at Headingley, with multiple dropped catches that proved extremely costly for India. In the first innings, Jaiswal put down a straightforward chance off Ollie Pope, who went on to score a brilliant century. He later dropped Harry Brook as well, who narrowly missed out on a hundred, making a quickfire 99. The second innings saw another crucial lapse when he spilled a catch of Ben Duckett on 97 — the England opener eventually went on to hammer 149 in a match-defining knock. These missed opportunities were part of a broader fielding failure that India will be desperate to rectify ahead of the second Test at Edgbaston.
Yashasvi Jaiswal axed from slip cordon as India prepare for Edgbaston showdown
Ahead of the second Test starting tomorrow (July 2) at Edgbaston, India held an intense fielding session with a clear focus on slip catching. Notably, Jaiswal was reportedly removed from the main slip cordon during Monday’s training drills. Instead, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, and skipper Shubman Gill were seen taking positions at first, second, and third slip, respectively. Jaiswal was relegated to leg slip, while Dhruv Jurel was placed at short leg.
Fielding coach T Dilip conducted innovative slip-catching drills, using a black cloth to obscure vision and test reflexes. The aim was to replicate match-like pressure and improve reactions under unpredictable conditions. Bowlers, including Jasprit Bumrah, were also put through high-catching drills, while assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate and bowling coach Morne Morkel supervised various fielding routines.
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India desperate to fix fielding flaws from first Test
India’s fielding performance in the Headingley Test was widely criticised, with dropped chances, misjudged balls in the deep, and even lapses behind the stumps from Rishabh Pant. The management appears determined to plug those gaps ahead of the must-win second Test. With England’s batting line-up capitalising on every mistake, India’s sloppy fielding proved costly in the series opener.
As India look to level the series in Birmingham, sharper catching and tighter fielding will be key. While it remains uncertain whether Jaiswal will reclaim his place in the slip cordon during the match, the message from the team setup is evident — fielding will be a decisive factor in the outcome of this high-stakes contest.
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