Players usually dream of making memorable records on overseas tours. But here, Yashasvi Jaiswal went ahead and set a record for most dropped catches.
Drop one catch? You think, okay, it happens.
Drop two? Maybe it's just not your day.
But four? FOUR? In a single Test match? Jaiswal clearly decided that catching is too mainstream.
In fact, that's now the joint-most dropped catches by an Indian fielder in a single Test. History was made—just not the kind you’d want hanging on your wall.
Three of those were in the first innings alone. And he didn’t offer lifelines to just any random batters—nope. He gifted chances to names like Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook. He wasn’t just dropping chances, he was basically handing out golden tickets to England’s top order like some overexcited cricketing Santa.
All in all, those missed chances added up to more than 250 runs. So yes, he scored a century himself, but ended up gifting more than that just through dropped catches.
Shubman Gill tried him in the slips—Jaiswal spilled sitters. Moved him to gully—same result. Pushed him out to the boundary—still couldn’t hold on. Honestly, Jaiswal brought back memories of Bagha from Lagaan. And Bagha had a valid excuse—he was deaf.
Jaiswal looked like he was auditioning for a blooper reel. On one end, Bumrah was struggling to find support with the ball. On the other, even easy chances were going down.
And this isn’t even a one-off horror show. The guy’s a repeat offender. Remember the 2024 BGT series at the MCG? Jaiswal dropped three crucial catches there too—and India ended up losing the series. Déjà vu, but with a tragic twist.
Yes, Jaiswal was the main culprit—but he wasn’t the only one. India dropped six catches in the first innings alone. That’s the first time since 2019 that they’ve shelled five or more chances in the opening innings of a Test, according to CricViz.
So, was Yashasvi Jaiswal single-handedly responsible for India’s humiliation in Leeds? Did he undo an incredible batting performance all by himself? Let’s just put it this way: If there was a Man of the Match award for the other team’s MVP, Jaiswal would’ve been up on that podium.
