A heated incident involving Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lankan bowler Asitha Fernando during the second Test in Colombo has come under the spotlight again, with India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel offering his version of what led to the confrontation.
Dhruv Jurel, who has been Yashasvi Jaiswal’s long-time teammate at Rajasthan Royals, said the Indian opener was provoked by very ugly abusive remarks from Asitha Fernando on the opening day of the Test in August. According to Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal was not looking for a confrontation and reacted only after being subjected to personal abuse.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando were both fined 25 percent of their match fees and given one demerit point for inappropriate physical contact. The punishment was handed out under Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. Some observers felt Yashasvi Jaiswal could have faced a much heavier penalty.
Speaking to former India cricketer Aakash Chopra in a YouTube interview, Dhruv Jurel recalled what happened after Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed. He said Yashasvi initially walked quietly towards the dressing room without reacting. However, the situation changed when Asitha Fernando allegedly directed very abusive language at him. Dhruv Jurel explained that, according to what Yashasvi Jaiswal told him, the batter had no issue with the bowler celebrating after taking his wicket. However, he felt personal abuse crossed the line.
Dhruv Jurel was also asked about Yashasvi Jaiswal’s aggressive personality on the field. The Rajasthan Royals teammate strongly defended him, saying he had never seen Yashasvi deliberately start a fight or confrontation. He described Yashasvi as someone who generally stays focused on his batting and does not look to provoke opponents.
At the same time, Dhruv Jurel pointed out that Indian players are unlikely to simply stay silent if an opponent deliberately sledges them. His comments reflected the competitive nature of international cricket, where players often respond when they feel they have been provoked.
Yashasvi Jaiswal remains an important part of India’s Test setup and is also looking to establish himself in the ODI team ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. He was included in India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies.
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