Yashasvi Jaiswal’s explanation for his heated exchange with Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando has failed to convince former India cricketers, with Cheteshwar Pujara, WV Raman and Saba Karim criticising the opener for crossing the line during the second Test in Colombo.The incident took place on the opening day after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal for 45. The India opener had struck three boundaries in the pacer’s over, but Fernando had the final say when a sharp nip-backer breached Jaiswal’s defence and crashed into the stumps.Fernando then appeared to give Jaiswal a send-off, prompting the batter to turn back and confront the Sri Lankan pacer. The exchange quickly became heated, with the two players coming close to a physical confrontation.Jaiswal addressed the incident on social media before the start of play on the second day, suggesting there was more to the altercation than what was visible on camera. He said people did not know what had actually been said to him during the exchange and ended his post with the message: “India knows how to give back.”The ICC subsequently took action against both players. Jaiswal and Fernando were each fined 25 per cent of their match fees and handed one demerit point.However, Jaiswal’s defence did little to ease the criticism. Speaking on the Sony Sports Network, Pujara said the confrontation was unacceptable once it involved physical contact.“It’s not an ideal visual. As a player, you need to control your emotions. Sometimes you do get angry. I can understand that till the time he was disappointed, or he was when he was having a chat, at that time. I think that’s acceptable till then. It is all fine, but the moment it got to a point where both of them were going against each other, there was a body contact, which is not acceptable on the field,” Pujara said on the Sony Sports Network.Raman, meanwhile, suggested Jaiswal’s frustration may have played a role in the incident. The opener had failed to convert his opportunities earlier in the series and once again fell after getting set.“There’s always a little bit of exchange of words on a cricket field. It happens, and especially after a wicket falls, but restraint is so important because if you don’t restrain yourself, you’re going to get in trouble, and there’s always that line that you can’t cross. He got out when he was shaping really well in the first Test. You don’t normally get run out like that in a Test match, and here once again, he was set, and he gets out to a delivery, which he could have played forward. He knows that he’s letting go of opportunities. So the little bit of frustration is coming out,” said Raman.Former India selector Saba Karim was even more critical, stressing that international cricketers have a responsibility to set an example for the next generation.“Someone should remind both of them that this is not a contact sport. It is cricket. You’re not supposed to headbutt each other, but I find it extremely purile. There’s no need for something like this on a cricket field. There’ll be times when a pace bowler or a bowler will get after you. One can always remain aggressive without getting into an act like this. I think it is unnecessary, and one should always remember that all such players are brand ambassadors of this lovely sport. So many youngsters are watching it,” said Karim.The clash came at the end of an over in which Jaiswal had initially appeared to be in control, finding the boundary three times against Fernando before the Sri Lankan pacer produced the delivery that ended his innings.Jaiswal’s dismissal for 45 added to a frustrating run in the series, while his confrontation with Fernando has now become one of the major talking points from the Colombo Test.
