India wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has revealed what led to the heated exchange between Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando during the second Test in Colombo in August.

Jurel, who has been Jaiswal’s teammate at Rajasthan Royals for several years, said the Indian batter was provoked by what he described as “very ugly abuses” from Fernando.

According to Jurel, Jaiswal did not start the confrontation. He said the youngster was simply walking back to the dressing room after getting out before turning around following Fernando’s alleged comments.

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Jurel Defends Jaiswal’s Aggressive Nature

Jurel also backed Jaiswal when asked about the batter’s fiery personality on the field.

The wicketkeeper-batter said he has never seen Jaiswal start a confrontation and believes he usually remains focused on his batting.

He added that Indian players are unlikely to simply walk away if an opponent tries to provoke them.

“Now, there’s no one in the Indian team who doesn’t give it back. Agar tum karoge toh aisa nahi hai ki hum chup rahenge (If you do it, it’s not like we’d remain quiet),” he added.

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Jaiswal And Fernando Punished

The incident resulted in both Jaiswal and Fernando being fined 25 per cent of their match fees and receiving one demerit point each.

The ICC found both players guilty of making inappropriate physical contact under Article 2.12 of its Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.

Jaiswal is now looking to establish himself in India’s ODI setup as he continues to push for a place in the squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup. He was included in India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies which will start from September 27.