Despite scoring a century in his first-ever Test match on English soil, the first Test between India and England was one to forget for India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal. The 23-year-old dropped as many as four catches in the outfield, costing his team a load of runs as India went on to lose the match on Day 5. Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif - a brilliant fielder during his time - has given his reasoning as to why Jaiswal may have ended up dropping so many catches.
Kaif suggested that the taping Jaiswal wears on his fingers and palms may have led to the dropped chances.
"When you practise with the Duke's ball and with the weather being cold, you get hurt. Then you often put on a tape to protect your fingers," Kaif stated, speaking in a video posted on his X account.
Jaiswal could be seen wearing a tap around the intersection between his fingers and palm during the first Test.
"In such a situation, the fingers are stuck and there is no free movement. You can't hold onto the catch because the tape becomes a sponge. The ball bounces off it, so that's the drawback. Your fingers also remain too tight and lose flexibility. The natural connection with the ball is lost," Kaif explained.
Following the match, Sunil Gavaskar also pointed out the tape that Jaiswal wears on his hands, stating that it should not be allowed.
"Players should not be allowed to wear webbing past that point," said Gavaskar, speaking after the match. "Otherwise, you might as well wear gloves," he stated.
"I just think that, just like how when a batter comes out to bat, they check the size of the bat, or when boxers are going in they check their gloves, umpires should do the same for this. They should say, 'Hello! Sorry, you cannot have it over there," Gavaskar said.
Jaiswal dropped three catches in the first innings and one in the second. England opener Ben Duckett was dropped by Jaiswal in both innings, and ended up slamming a combined 211 runs across the two innings, going on to win the 'Player of the Match' award.
Jaiswal also dropped Ollie Pope in the first innings when the English No. 3 was on 60. Pope went on to slam a century.
The other batter he dropped was Harry Brook, who scored 99 runs in the first innings, helping England nearly claw back the deficit to India's total.