‘Totally Unacceptable’: Former India Opener Slams Yashasvi Jaiswal Over On-Field Clash With Asitha Fernando

Yashasvi Jaiswal's heated confrontation with Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando in the second Test has drawn criticism from former India opener Wasim Jaffer, who described the young batter's reaction as “totally unacceptable” and warned that repeated incidents could create problems for him.

The flashpoint came on Day 1 in Colombo after Jaiswal had taken Fernando apart with three consecutive boundaries. The Sri Lankan quick, however, had the final say, dismissing Jaiswal for 45 in the same over.

An animated celebration followed, with Jaiswal initially walking away before turning back towards Fernando. The two exchanged words and moved close enough for physical contact before being separated.

The ICC subsequently sanctioned both players, fining them 25% of their match fees and handing them one demerit point each for breaching Article 2.12 of its Code of Conduct, which deals with inappropriate physical contact. Both admitted the offence and accepted the sanctions.

Jaffer Questions Jaiswal's Reaction And Form

While Fernando's aggressive send-off triggered the confrontation, Jaffer was particularly critical of Jaiswal's decision to react and physically confront the bowler. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former India batter also linked the episode to the pressure Jaiswal faces to make the most of his opportunities in Test cricket.

“This is totally unacceptable. This sort of behaviour should never happen. I’ve said it before—Jaiswal’s performance hasn’t been what we expect from him. We expect big scores from him, and maybe there’s some frustration creeping in. But this is the format he’s playing. He’s not playing consistently in ODIs or T20Is, so whenever he gets a chance in Tests, he needs to score big runs. If he doesn’t score runs and lets opportunities slip, he’s creating trouble for himself. That’s the first thing—you shouldn’t react like that,” Jaffer said.

Jaiswal had looked fluent before his dismissal and his 45 gave India a solid start, but the innings ended before he could convert it into the substantial score Jaffer believes should be expected from a player of his ability. The former opener suggested that frustration over missed opportunities may have played a role in Jaiswal's response, though he made it clear that it did not excuse the confrontation.

‘Being Provoked’ Cannot Excuse Physical Confrontation

Jaiswal later responded to criticism on Instagram, indicating that he had been provoked during the incident. Jaffer, however, said that would only offer some explanation if something particularly inappropriate had been said to him.

“Unless the bowler said something really inappropriate, which we don’t know about from here, reacting like that and being physical is not acceptable. This has happened a couple of times with him now. This is not good sportsmanship. Regardless of who the player is, this is not acceptable. He needs to understand that a lot of people look up to him and see him as a role model,” he added.

The latest episode has added to the scrutiny around Jaiswal's on-field temperament. He was also involved in verbal exchanges during the first Test with Niroshan Dickwella, and the clash with Fernando has now brought formal ICC punishment.