Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lankan pacer Asitha Fernando got into a heated altercation at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo during the morning session of Day 1 of the Second Test. Shortly after Fernando dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal for 45 off 53 balls in the 17th over of India’s opening innings, the flashpoint occurred.
Fernando hit a ball of decent length, but it quickly retreated off the pitch. Yashasvi Jaiswal attempted to hit aggressively on the off side, but the ball bounced onto the stumps after catching a heavy inside edge. The left-hander, who had amassed nine boundaries throughout his 53-ball spell, had a strong start before being dismissed.
Yashasvi Jaiswal appeared to make a small head contact with Fernando when the two players squared up at close range.
Fernando gave the departing batsman an angry send-off after taking the wicket. In response to what he heard, Yashasvi Jaiswal stopped in the middle of his stride and turned back to face the bowler. Before things could get worse, Sri Lankan fielders came in swiftly to separate the two.
View the video here.
Jaiswal and shee lanka player fight 😯😯😯😯#indvssl #jaiswal pic.twitter.com/he9cIrZZkp
— Mahesh_Gurjar🇮🇳 (@Mahesh_gurjar0) August 23, 2026
At the time of writing, neither the ICC nor the BCCI had released an official announcement on any disciplinary actions.
When the altercation occurred, what was the state of the match?
At the Sinhalese Sports Club, India won the toss and decided to bat. Both openers returned to the pavilion prior to the interval, making the morning session challenging for the visitors. Fernando dismissed Jaiswal, leaving India at 66 for 2.
Earlier in the session, KL Rahul was dismissed for eighteen runs as Lahiru Kumara’s wide delivery got through to the wicketkeeper. Following Rahul’s departure, Devdutt Padikkal arrived at the crease and overcame a tense situation early in his innings when a thick edge sailed over the slip cordon without finding a fielder. After Fernando removed Jaiswal, India was in a difficult situation going into the afternoon session.
What adjustments did India make to their starting lineup for this match?
Saransh Jain received his first Test cap in this match, and India selected a different team for the second Test. owing to Kuldeep Yadav’s unavailability owing to an infection, the visitors were compelled to make the adjustment. Before play started on August 23, 2026, Captain Shubman Gill confirmed Kuldeep’s absence before the toss.
