NEW DELHI: It wasn’t one, it wasn’t two — it was Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fourth dropped catch of the match, and it came at a crucial juncture on the final day of the opening Test against England at Headingley.With India’s bowlers toiling hard for a breakthrough and the pressure mounting, Mohammed Siraj created a golden opportunity. He dug in a short delivery to Ben Duckett, who mistimed a pull and got a top edge. Jaiswal sprinted in, dived forward, got both hands to it — but couldn’t hold on.
The frustration was evident. Siraj looked visibly irritated, skipper Shubman Gill wore a look of disbelief, and when the camera shifted to head coach Gautam Gambhir, his anger was unmistakable.Jaiswal’s fourth drop in the match equals the most by an Indian fielder in a Test, as per available records — a statistic he’ll want to quickly forget.Earlier, India set England a target of 371 to win the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy after being dismissed for 364 in their second innings.KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant were the standout performers with the bat. Rahul produced a calm, composed 137 — his ninth Test hundred — studded with 18 fours. Pant, initially restrained, switched gears to blast 118 off just 123 balls, hitting 15 boundaries and three sixes. It was his eighth Test ton and part of a 195-run partnership with Rahul.The duo had last shared centuries in a stand back in 2018 at The Oval. This time, Pant made history by becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper — and only the fifth Indian batter — to score two hundreds in the same Test away from home.
