06 June,2025 09:04 PM IST | London | mid-day online correspondent
Yashasvi Jaiswal (Pic: AFP)
India âA' opener Yashasvi Jaiswal became an unfortunate victim of a glaring umpiring error during the second unofficial Test against the England Lions on Friday.
Ahead of the match, India made several adjustments to their playing XI, with KL Rahul partnering Jaiswal at the top of the order. The Indian openers started positively, accumulating a steady 28 runs without losing a wicket, despite challenging overcast conditions and a pitch that bore the characteristics of a slow outfield.
However, England all-rounder Chris Woakes, who had been sidelined with an ankle injury, was quick to dismiss Jaiswal with a delivery that moved sharply back in, striking the batsman's pads. To the naked eye, the ball appeared to be clipping the leg side, suggesting it should have favoured Jaiswal.
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The umpire, meanwhile, adjudged Jaiswal out without hesitation. The Indian side was left powerless as there was no Decision Review System (DRS) in place for this fixture, making it impossible to challenge the erroneous call. Jaiswal's dismissal was a significant blow to India âA', especially since he is regarded as a key player on this England tour and is expected to be a major contributor in unfamiliar conditions.
In the first unofficial Test, Jaiswal had shown promising form, registering scores of 24 and 64, demonstrating his ability to adapt to the English conditions. In terms of team composition, Sarfaraz Khan was dropped in favor of Rahul. Additionally, the bowling lineup saw unexpected changes, with only Shardul Thakur retained from the first match.
Looking ahead, the official Test series is scheduled to commence on June 20. Before that, the Indian squad will engage in a crucial intra-squad match on June 13 to fine-tune their preparations.
Squads at a glance:
India A XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Anshul Kamboj, Tushar Deshpande, Khaleel Ahmed
England Lions XI: Tom Haines, Ben McKinney, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, James Rew(w/c), Max Holden, George Hill, Chris Woakes, Farhan Ahmed, Josh Tongue, Edward Jack
