Dhruv Jurel finally opened the lid on what really happened between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando on the opening day of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, for which the two players were docked 25 per cent of their match fees. The wicketkeeper-batter, who was a part of the playing XI and also shares a good rapport with Jaiswal, revealed that the Sri Lankan abused him non-stop after taking his wicket, and it led to the left-hander retaliating.
Speaking of the incident between Jaiswal and Fernando, it happened in the 17th over of India's first innings when the pacer got the wicket of the opening batter. Jaiswal was walking back to the pavilion, and suddenly, he turned back in anger to confront the speedster.
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The exchange quickly turned nasty as Jaiswal almost head-butted Fernando, and eventually, the Sri Lankan fielders separated the two, and the batter walked back to the dressing room.
A month after the Test series ended, Jurel revealed that Jaiswal had told Fernando not to abuse him and that this was the extent of their conversation.
“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 Aakash Chopra.
{{/usCountry}}“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 Aakash Chopra.
{{/usCountry}}“Jaiswal told him, It's okay. You took my wicket, you can show normal aggression, but you can't abuse me,” he added.
‘He never starts it’
Jurel, who is Jaiswal's teammate at the Rajasthan Royals, stated that the batter will never start sledging anyone but will not hesitate to respond if provoked.
When Chopra said, “He's a feisty guy, isn't he? He will give it back if you give it to him?”, Jurel replied, "100 per cent. He will never start it; I have never seen him do that. He is always in the zone; he is always thinking about his batting. But if you provoke us, we will also return it,” added Jurel.
Midway through the Test, the ICC released an official statement confirming sanctions against both Jaiswal and Fernando. The two were found guilty of a Level 1 offence, breaching Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel relating to “inappropriate physical contact with a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other person (including a spectator during an International Match).”
Moreover, the duo were each handed one demerit point, their first in over 24 months. At that time, the India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak had also admitted that Jaiswal shouldn't have gone too close to the bowler.
“I think the bowler commented something, and it happened in the heat of the moment. Obviously, Jaiswal shouldn’t have gone so close to him, but it happened in the heat of the moment,” he told reporters after stumps on Day 1 of the second Test, which eventually ended in a draw owing to Sonal Dinusha's exceptional show on the fifth and final day.