Former India fielding coach R Sridhar has backed young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal amid criticism for his poor fielding in the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds.

Jaiswal Shines with the Bat but Struggles in the Field

Jaiswal started the tour on a high. On the first day of the Test, he scored a brilliant century alongside captain Shubman Gill. Their partnership helped India post a strong 359/3 by stumps. However, things went downhill for Jaiswal after that.

In the second innings, he got out early. Then, over the next four days, he dropped four catches. One of those misses gave Ben Duckett a second chance during England's tense chase of the 371-run target. That drop proved costly.

India ended up losing the match by five wickets. Apart from the fielding errors, a sudden batting collapse and lacklustre bowling—except for Jasprit Bumrah—also contributed to the loss. England now leads the five-match series 1-0.

Sridhar Backs Jaiswal After the Loss

After the defeat, R Sridhar came to Jaiswal’s defence. He blamed the tough conditions in Leeds for the missed chances.

“He’s actually an excellent gully fielder. Make no mistake. He’s had just two bad games - one in Melbourne, one here in Leeds. Otherwise, he’s been exceptional. The catches he took against Bangladesh in Kanpur were outstanding. It’s easy to sit in the commentary box and criticise, but these are challenging conditions, and for many of them, it’s their first experience of this environment,” Sridhar told Sportstar.

Other Fielding Errors Also Hurt India

Jaiswal wasn’t the only one who dropped catches. Ravindra Jadeja, known for his sharp fielding, spilled a chance at backward point on Day 2. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant also missed a key opportunity later in the match.

England too made similar errors. Ben Duckett and Harry Brook dropped Sai Sudharsan and KL Rahul during India’s second innings. Rahul went on to score a century.

Sridhar Criticises Ground Fielding

While Sridhar defended the catching mistakes, he was not pleased with India’s overall ground fielding. He stressed that players must show better awareness and decision-making on the field.

“The standard of ground fielding which is exhibited is not acceptable. Unlike catching, ground fielding is something which is totally in your control. You should know which ball to put your body behind, which ball to attack, which ball to play safe,” he added.

Focus Shifts to Edgbaston

India will aim to bounce back in the second Test, which starts on 2 July at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The team, led by Shubman Gill, will look to level the series and regain momentum.