Yashasvi Jaiswal had a memorable ODI debut against England on Friday, February 7, at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. While he impressed with his batting, it was his sensational catch to dismiss Ben Duckett that stole the spotlight. Running backwards from square leg, Jaiswal plucked a stunning catch that helped India break a dangerous opening stand of 75 runs in just 53 balls.
After the match, Jaiswal’s teammates couldn’t resist having some fun at his expense. Arshdeep Singh playfully teased him, suggesting that if he had sprinted like a fast bowler, he could have made the catch look even easier. “If he had started running earlier and ran fast like me, he would’ve caught it with one hand. But credit to him, it was a brilliant effort,” Arshdeep joked in a video shared by the BCCI.
Harshit Rana, who was the bowler when Jaiswal took the catch and thus got his maiden ODI wicket, admitted he wasn’t entirely sure the ball would stick.
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“When he was chasing it, I wasn’t convinced he’d catch it, but when he did, I was full of belief! (laughs). No, honestly, I always knew he would. He’s taken several brilliant catches before,” Rana said.
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Fielding coach T. Dilip, who was closely watching from the sidelines, was also full of praise for Jaiswal’s safe hands. “I saw the ball keep going, and I just thought, ‘Just catch it!’ One thing about Jaiswal is that he has very good hands, so I knew if he reached there, he would take it,” he said.
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India eventually secured a four-wicket victory, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. England, batting first, were bowled out for 248 in 47.4 overs, with debutant Rana (3/53) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) leading the bowling attack. In response, India chased down the target in 38.4 overs, thanks to crucial knocks from Shubman Gill (87), Shreyas Iyer (59), and Axar Patel (52), ensuring a commanding win for the hosts.
