"He cost India more than the runs he scored" - England legend slams Yashasvi Jaiswal for shocking fielding lapses in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former England opener Sir Geoffrey Boycott launched a scathing attack on Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for his fielding lapses in the first Test at Headingley in Leeds. Boycott said that Jaiswal cost the tourists more runs than he scored in the Test.

The left-hander made 101 in the first innings. However, he missed catches off Harry Brook and Ollie Pope in England's opening innings as the pair went on to contribute heavily to their side's total. However, the most significant drop came off Ben Duckett's bat in the fourth innings when he was on 97. Duckett eventually made a match-winning 149 as the hosts gunned down 371 to go 1-0 up in the series.

In his column for The Telegraph, the 84-year-old wrote that dropping three catches in a game is unforgivable. He wrote:

"The worst culprit was the young superstar batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal who shelled three catches. Everyone drops a catch but three in a match is too expensive. He made 105 runs in two innings but he cost India more than the runs he scored."

The 108-Test veteran reflected that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj not taking a wicket on Day 5 hurt the tourists massively, adding:

"Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj gave everything in the morning session but just could not get any wickets. It hurt India that their best two bowlers did not take one wicket on the last day. On top of that the Indian catching was poor throughout the match and the ground fielding was sloppy as well."

While Boycott observed the energy Prasidh Krishna put into the ball in the afternoon session, he criticised the 29-year-old for not doing it when India needed it much earlier. He added:

"Prasidh Krishna was too short with no pace in the morning session on the final day. I put more energy into my golf game than he did his bowling. It was different in the afternoon when he bent his back a bit, pitched the ball up and found some zip and nip off the pitch surprising Crawley and Ollie Pope."

Krishna, playing only his fourth Test, leaked 128 runs in the first innings but picked up three wickets. He broke the 188-run opening stand between Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley by dismissing the latter for 65. He later removed Ollie Pope for eight with the nip-backer.

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"I was impressed with England’s thinking" - Sir Geoffrey Boycott

Sir Geoffrey Boycott. (Image Credits: Getty)

Boycott also underlined that England's approach was perfect in the first session as they looked to play out Bumrah and target other bowlers. He wrote:

"I was impressed with England’s thinking and assessing the changing situations on the last day. Ben Duckett was the star with his splendid 149 but he and Crawley gave the team a dream start. It was a deliberate attempt to blunt the new ball and particularly to stop Bumrah taking early wickets. There were no rash strokes or attempts to thrash the new ball, but at the same time they hit anything loose."

Boycott continued by criticising Shardul Thakur for bowling plenty of freebies far too frequently to England batters, adding:

"The Indian second-string seam bowling was ordinary. Shardul Thakur bowled gentle, buffet bowling. There was no pace, no swing or seam. It was “help yourself” stuff. Just lots of “hit me” balls. My mum could have whacked him with my famous stick of rhubarb."

England and India will resume their battle in the second Test in Birmingham, beginning on July 2.