Jaiswal risks ban after heated clash with Asitha Fernando in Colombo?

Colombo: India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal found himself at the centre of controversy on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka after an ugly confrontation with pacer Asitha Fernando following his dismissal in Colombo.

Jaiswal had been taking the attack apart, smashing Fernando for three consecutive boundaries before the Sri Lankan quick hit back with a delivery that jagged in and shattered the batter’s stumps. But the dismissal was followed by a far more dramatic episode.

As Jaiswal walked towards the pavilion, a send-off from the Sri Lankan camp appeared to provoke him. He turned around, charged back towards the players and confronted Fernando. The two came dangerously close, with Jaiswal appearing to make helmet-to-head contact with the pacer before Sri Lankan players intervened and separated them.

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak acknowledged that Jaiswal went too far by getting so close to Fernando, while suggesting the exchange unfolded in the heat of the moment. Sri Lanka fast-bowling coach Ryan van Niekerk likewise viewed the verbal battle as an emotional overflow, leaving any disciplinary decision to the match referee.

The incident could prove costly for Jaiswal. Physical contact between players is prohibited under cricket’s code, leaving him vulnerable to suspension depending on the findings of match referee Andy Pycroft.

Jaiswal’s fiery temperament has previously landed him in trouble, including an incident in domestic cricket when captain Ajinkya Rahane removed him from the field after repeated exchanges with Ravi Teja.

India finished the day on 300/5, with Devdutt Padikkal hitting 117 and Saransh Jain and Dhruv Jurel at the crease.