"Should Not Be Allowed": Sunil Gavaskar Points Out Massive 'Loophole' As Yashasvi Jaiswal Drops 4 Catches

India lost by five wickets in a closely-fought first Test against England at Headingley. In a match that went right up to the last session of Day 5, India ended up narrowly suffering defeat. Despite having five individual centuries in the match, and piling up a total of 800 runs, India could not win. One big negative was the fielding of Team India, with Yashasvi Jaiswal grabbing headlines in particular by dropping four catches. Legendary former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar had a specific complaint to make after reflecting on Jaiswal's dropped chances.

Gavaskar pointed out that the webbing allowed to be worn by a fielder on his fingers and hands should not go past the point of intersection between the finger and the palm.

"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.

"It has been happening for the last three to five years. In every team, there are at least one or two fielders who have got this," Gavaskar added.

Jaiswal dropped as many as four catches during the course of the first Test. He dropped three in the first innings, with the most notable being one at third slip to dismiss Harry Brook. In the second innings, Jaiswal dropped Ben Duckett despite his diving effort.

As per Cricbuzz, it was the most number of catches dropped by a player in a single Test match in many years.

It was Jaiswal's first Test match on English soil and he marked it with a first Test century there as well. It was a performance that blended poise and aggression, helping India to a commanding position of 359/3 in 85 overs on Day 1 of the first Test against England in Leeds.

Reflecting on his knock after stumps, Jaiswal told Star Sports, "We did a lot of preparation before coming here. It was a lot of fun to play, and it felt very good to bat. I enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot."

Jaiswal's 101 off 157 balls was a masterclass in shot selection and mental discipline, particularly through the off side, where he cut and drove England's bowlers with grace.

With IANS inputs

Topics mentioned in this article

Yashasvi Jaiswal Sunil Gavaskar India Cricket Team Cricket England vs India, 2025