On the second day of the three-day practice match between India and Sri Lanka Cricket XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo on August 8, 2026, Yashasvi Jaiswal was removed for a two-ball duck. On the second delivery he encountered, left-arm pacer Vishwa Fernando caught him at gully and dismissed him.
After the home team ended their first innings at 363 for eight, Yashasvi and KL Rahul went out to open. Before Fernando found the edge and the fielder at gully finished the catch, he was only at the crease for two deliveries. As a result, India’s first-choice opener made no significant contribution to their preparations for the Test series.
The first game of the two-match Test series takes place in Galle on August 15 and the second match takes place in Colombo on August 23. India’s main option to warm up before those two Tests was the Nondescripts ground match.
In Test cricket, how has Jaiswal fared against left-arm pace?
Fernando’s dismissal adds to the mounting evidence that left-arm pace bowling in Test cricket troubles Yashasvi. Throughout his Test career, he has been dismissed nine times by bowlers of that kind; three of those wickets occurred during his final four World Test Championship innings against South Africa at home last year.
In Test cricket, Jaiswal has been dismissed three times by Marco Jansen, Mitchell Starc, and Nandre Burger, demonstrating how frequently opposition teams have attacked this route. Even tho Jaiswal has scored nearly 400 runs in the format with the cut shot, he has been removed seven times since making his Test debut, so the catch at the gully on Saturday fits a well-known pattern.
How did Jaiswal’s most recent test form appear prior to the Galle Test?
Jaiswal earned 24 runs in his most recent competitive Test innings prior to this tour, which took place in a one-off match against Afghanistan outside of the World Test Championship cycle.
It will be intriguing to watch if Jaiswal can build some momentum before the Test series and if India gets to bat a second time in the warm-up match.
