India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has addressed the tense confrontation that occurred on the opening day of the Colombo Test between opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lankan fast bowler Asitha Fernando. The incident unfolded after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal, who had struck three boundaries in that same over. As the batter began his walk back to the pavilion, a verbal exchange ensued, prompting Jaiswal to turn and approach the bowler. The situation nearly escalated into physical contact before teammates intervened to separate the pair.
Reflecting on the encounter, Kotak acknowledged that while such incidents often arise in the heat of the moment, the Indian opener should have avoided closing the distance with 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,” Kotak stated, characterizing the event as an unfortunate lapse.
Sri Lanka’s fast bowling coach, Ryan van Niekerk, echoed these sentiments, framing the altercation as an inevitable byproduct of intense Test cricket. He emphasized that his bowlers are instructed to remain aggressive and proactive against a formidable side like India. “Look, it is hard Test cricket, isn’t it? When you’re coming up against a team like India, you can’t sit on the back foot. I’ve really asked the bowlers to stand up and create something. The verbals are probably an overflow of emotion,” Van Niekerk explained.
Despite the coaches’ attempts to move past the incident, the matter may still face formal review. Van Niekerk noted that he would leave any further disciplinary decisions to the match officials. ICC match referee Andy Pycroft is expected to review the footage of the exchange. Should the evidence confirm inappropriate physical contact or a breach of conduct regarding send-offs, the players involved could face official sanctions from the governing body. The report also notes that where Yashasvi Jaiswal and Asitha Fernando had a fiery exchange of words, india batting coach Sitanshu Kotak played down the early incident on Day 1 of the Colombo Test.
