Weeks after the ugly incident on the field, India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has backed his teammate Yashasvi Jaiswal who headbutted Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando in a heated altercation. Fernando gave Jaiswal a send-off and hurled a mouthful which led to the opener returning and having an altercation with the pacer leading to a headbutt. While ICC fined both of them 25 per cent of their match fee for 'inappropriate physical contact', many including former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar wanted a harsher punishment for the opener. But, Jurel does not feel that Jaiswal is to be blamed. He revealed that Fernando hurled abuses at the batter which led to the unfortunate incident.
“When he got out, he was quietly walking back to the dressing room. He didn't say anything. If you look at the footage, Jaiswal immediately turned around. The Sri Lankan pacer was abusing him.
“Jaiswal told me that he was abusing him nonstop,” Jurel told former cricketer Aakash Chopra in a YouTube interview.
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“Jaiswal told him, ‘It's okay. You took my wicket, you can show normal aggression, but you can't abuse me,’” Jurel added.
During the Test, Jaiswal had also commented on renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle's video on the incident, saying that no one should jump to conclusions without knowing the details. Jurel echoed Jaiswal's sentiments and said that this Indian won't shy from giving it back to the opposition.
Jurel and Jaiswal in action
Jurel and Jaiswal will be seen in action in the upcoming ODI series against West Indies at home which begins on September 27 in Thiruvananthapuram. Jurel has been picked as the back-up wicketkeeper in the side in the absence of Ishan Kishan who is currently part of the Asian Games 2026 squad. Jurel has also been picked ahead of Rishabh Pant who continues to be out of the ODI scheme of things for now. Jurel is yet to make his ODI debut. He averages 74.70 in List A cricket with 747 runs from 14 innings featuring two tons and six fifties.
Meanwhile, Jaiswal is in the ODI squad but there's no surety on whether he will get game time in the presence of skipper Shubman Gill and veteran opener Rohit Sharma. Jaiswal's previous ODI appearance was against Afghanistan earlier this year. He scored an unbeaten 110 in the run chase. So far, the 24-year-old has played six ODIs and scored 285 runs at an average of 71.25 including two tons.