NEW DELHI: Disappointment and frustration were clearly visible on Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s face as he fell victim to a controversial dismissal during the final session of day five in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The third umpire overturned the on-field not-out decision for a caught-behind, even though the Snickometer showed no edge.
Yashasvi, who was anchoring the innings brilliantly and batting on 84, attempted to hook a bouncer from Australian skipper Pat Cummins. He missed the shot entirely, and wicketkeeper Alex Carey claimed the catch. While Carey and Cummins celebrated exuberantly, on-field umpire Joel Wilson initially ruled it not out. Cummins, however, immediately opted for a review.
The Snickometer displayed a flat line as the ball passed the bat, regular replays showed a noticeable deflection. Third umpire Sharfuddoula ultimately declared Jaiswal out, to the batter’s disbelief.
The decision sparked widespread debate among former cricketers and fans alike. However, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma addressed the controversy during the post-match press conference, seeking to put the matter to rest.
“I don’t know what to make of that because the technology didn’t show anything, but with the naked eye it seemed like he did touch something,” Rohit told reporters after the match.
“I don’t know how the umpires want to use the technology, but in all fairness, I think he did touch the ball,” he said.
Yashasvi’s childhood coach, Jwala Singh, who was at the MCG to witness the high-stakes match, expressed his shock over the incident but said he found clarity after Rohit addressed the matter.
“I was shocked, actually. The umpires took time to make that decision, and there was doubt. So, if there was doubt, the benefit of doubt should have been given to the batter. But if Rohit Sharma, the captain himself, said that there was a deflection or that the ball touched the bat or gloves, then Yashasvi is out. Because the captain knows better than anyone else. I will go with Rohit,” Jwala told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
Jwala is well aware of Yashasvi’s state of mind following the controversial dismissal but remains confident that Rohit, who has been a guiding figure throughout Yashasvi’s career as a senior Mumbai teammate and now as India’s captain, will support the youngster through this challenging phase.
“Rohit has given him a lot of opportunities and chances. Rohit has backed Yashasvi a lot. He has been his senior in the Mumbai team, and now he is the captain. Yashasvi has learned a lot from Rohit and continues to do so. Yashasvi was very disappointed, and any batter would be disappointed after such a decision. He needs to move on. Rohit will talk to him. Whenever Yashasvi is down or disappointed, Rohit is always there to motivate him and talk to him. He will ask him to move on. Not just Rohit, (Gautam) Gambhir also talks to him and motivates him. Rohit and Gambhir will help Yashasvi overcome this on-field disappointment,” Jwala said.
‘ROHIT KNEW YASHASVI WAS INDIA’S FUTURE’
Yashasvi has been a standout performer in Tests in 2024, amassing 1,478 runs at an average of 54.74, including three centuries and nine fifties in 15 matches (including the MCG Test). His highest score this year was an unbeaten 214 against England.
The youngster also surpassed Virender Sehwag’s 2008 tally of 1,462 runs to record the best calendar year for an Indian opener. He now ranks fourth on the all-time list for openers, topped by Graeme Smith’s 1,656 runs in 2008.
Jwala recounted a story where Rohit had predicted Yashasvi’s bright future for India.
“I will share an incident when Yashasvi scored a double century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy some years back. Rohit was present there, and he appreciated Yashasvi and told everyone that this guy has got a bright future and will play for India. Yashasvi became emotional and worked really hard to reach this level. Rohit has always given Yashasvi a lot of support and helped him grow as an international cricketer,” the coach said.
“Yashasvi is a player to watch out for in the future. He was looking good, and I was confident he would take India to a draw or maybe even a win if he had good support from the other end. He was in good touch, but the controversial decision ended his innings. I am happy for him but also unhappy because he missed out on hundreds in both innings. He had a great opportunity to score centuries in both innings,” he added.