February 7, 2025: India’s debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal left a lasting impression on his ODI debut with a brilliant fielding display during the series opener against England. The game was evenly poised with England at 75/1, with Ben Duckett looking to accelerate the innings. India needed a breakthrough, and Harshit Rana rose to the occasion. Rana tempted Duckett into a mistimed shot, sending the ball flying through the air.
Jaiswal, ever alert, sprinted towards the ball and dived, taking a stunning catch just inches from the ground. The crowd erupted, and India found their much-needed breakthrough, with Duckett dismissed. The momentum shifted in India’s favor as Rana went on to dismiss Harry Brook for a duck in the very same over, reducing England to 77/3.
Axar Patel, standing close by, couldn’t help but praise Jaiswal’s brilliance. In a lighthearted moment, Axar joked about Jaiswal feeling shy about the catch, even sharing a warm hug with him afterward. “I saw him sprinting from behind, and the way he stretched to take the catch, it was really good,” Axar said. “Sharma kyu rha ha yaar (Why are you feeling shy)?”
Fielding coach T Dilip also joined in the praise, recalling his own view of the catch. “I saw the ball going fast, and I was just hoping he’d reach it in time,” Dilip shared. “I knew his hands are good, so I had no doubt he’d make the catch.”
Despite the excitement in the field, Jaiswal couldn’t replicate his fielding brilliance with the bat. While chasing a target of 249, Jaiswal hit three quick fours but was eventually dismissed for 15 off 22 balls, caught by Phil Salt off Jofra Archer.
Nonetheless, India comfortably chased down the target thanks to solid knocks from Shubman Gill (87), Shreyas Iyer (59), and Axar Patel (52), finishing the chase with more than 11 overs to spare.