Gambhir slams desk, Bumrah buries face, Gill somehow controls his temper after Jaiswal puts down yet another sitter

Hindustan Times

4 hours ago

India's sloppy slip-catching woes continued at Headingley as Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped yet another chance off Jasprit Bumrah, this time in the final ball of the 85th over. Positioned at gully, Jaiswal failed to hold on to a regulation chance offered by Harry Brook, who had played a loose dab outside off to a short-of-length delivery. The ball flew at a comfortable height, but Jaiswal couldn't grab it, adding to a growing list of missed opportunities that have plagued India's fielding effort throughout this Test. Jasprit Bumrah reacts after Yashasvi Jaiswal drops a catch(JioHotstar)
The drop left a visibly frustrated Bumrah covering his face with his hands, a familiar sight over the past two days. This was already the fourth missed catch off Bumrah's bowling in this innings alone, and Jaiswal's third. Standing just beside him, Shubman Gill couldn't contain his frustration either, throwing his arms in the air in disbelief as the chance went begging.
The rest of the slip cordon stood frozen, resigned to yet another wasted breakthrough. In the dressing room, head coach Gautam Gambhir mirrored the mood, slamming the table with a ball and shaking his head in visible anger as replays flashed on screen. Watch:
It was a costly drop, indeed, as Brook was nearing his century; he was playing on 82 when Jaiswal missed the chance. Interestingly, Brook had already been dropped earlier in the day, although it was a relatively difficult opportunity. Rishabh Pant had dropped the catch off Ravindra Jadeja's delivery, although the deflection was too significant for Pant to adjust his reflexes in time.
What makes the situation more ironic is the context that preceded it. Before play began on Day 3, Jaiswal was seen going through an individual slip-catching session, isolated from the rest of the team and stationed precisely at the slip position. It was a direct response to earlier drops that had cost India dearly, a self-corrective effort that underlined his intent to improve. But come game time, those drills failed to translate into results.
Brook was eventually dismissed just one short of his century, as Prasidh Krishna bounced him out for 99. The English batter, going for a maximum towards deep square leg, failed to find the middle of the bat as he top-edged the delivery for a simple catch for Shardul Thakur.