Yashasvi Jaiswal hits back on criticism for headbutt with Fernando: ‘If you don’t know what he said…’
4 min readUpdated: Aug 24, 2026 12:53 PM IST
Yashasvi Jaiswal has come under some criticism for his heated exchange with Asitha Fernando in which his helmet appeared to touch the Sri Lanka fast bowler’s forehead on Day 1 of the ongoing second Test in Colombo. The Indian opener has now said that Fernando “cross the line (sic.)” in a retort to the criticism in reply to a video about the incident on Instagram.
“If you don’t know what he said then please don’t make your judgement if anyone cross the line we need to let them know this India will fight and reply (sic.),” said Jaiswal in the comment. He said in reply to a video by Cricbuzz in which cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle spoke about the incident. While the video went up on Sunday at the end of Day 1, Jaiswal’s reply came early on Monday before the start of play on Day 2.
Jaiswal made his comments on the incident in an Instagram reply. (Cricbuzz Instagram screenshot)The incident
The incident occurred moments after Fernando ended Jaiswal’s promising stay at the crease. The Indian opener had struck three boundaries in the over before Fernando produced a delivery that beat his defence and clattered into his stumps, sending him back to the pavilion.
As Jaiswal began walking back, he turned around and approached Fernando. The two exchanged words before moving extremely close to each other, and then Jaiswal headbutted the Sri Lankan pacer. Players from both sides quickly intervened to prevent the confrontation from escalating, after which Jaiswal continued towards the dressing room.
What has been said about it since
Jaiswal was on the other side of the sledging table in the first Test. His exchange of words with Sri Lanka batter Niroshan Dickwella was soon followed by the latter being dismissed. Former India batter Ajay Jadeja pointed this out and said that Jaiswal shouldn’t be sledging if he can’t take it.
“It is dangerous territory. There is no doubt about that. Physical contact is a different thing. In the last match, Jaiswal was on the other side. He was fielding, and he said things to Niroshan Dickwella, and we said that banter is nice as long as there is nothing wrong with your language,” Jadeja said on Sony Sports.
“The same thing happened, but if someone cannot laugh at himself, he shouldn’t laugh at others. If you can’t take it back, don’t say it to others either while standing on the ground,” he added.
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In the Cricbuzz video where Jaiswal put in his reply, Bhogle acknowledged that Fernando should’ve never given him a sendoff but Jaiswal should have just walked away nonetheless. “Yes maybe what had been said should not have been said but as you give, so you must take. The easiest thing is just to go away. With Jaiswal, so much talent, but just bubbling underneath, he is a slightly combative person. And the last thing I would want for someone of his extraordinary ability is to let that person override the extaordinary batter that he is and getting him into a little bit of trouble. He was provoked, but this is Test match cricket. I thought they got a little too close for comfort,” said Bhogle.
India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak also said that Jaiswal shouldn’t have got as close as he did to Fernando. “I think maybe one of the bowlers may have commented something, and it was a heat-of-the-moment thing. Obviously, Jaiswal, I don’t think he should have gone so close, but that happens in the heat of the moment,” said Kotak at the end of the day’s play.
