India’s young opening batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal and England skipper Ben Stokes were involved in a fiery exchange during the opening day of the second Test between India and England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Wednesday, July 2. The incident occurred during the 17th over of India’s innings when Jaiswal, batting fluently, drove Stokes for a boundary, and the two exchanged sharp words in the heat of the moment. Fortunately, the situation was quickly defused, and play continued without further drama.

Jaiswal came into the second Test after a mixed outing in the series opener at Headingley, Leeds. He scored a sublime century in the first innings but managed just four runs in the second. However, it was his fielding that drew the most attention, as he dropped four catches—matching the record for most dropped catches by an Indian in a single Test match. At Edgbaston, though, he looked composed with the bat, handling the English attack with ease and playing shots all around the ground.

By lunch on Day 1, India were 98/2, with Jaiswal unbeaten on 62 and captain Shubman Gill not out on 1. Speaking on Sky Sports, former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara praised Jaiswal and Karun Nair for their control at the crease after the early dismissal of KL Rahul. He remarked, “Both Nair and Jaiswal have been very good in terms of control. If it is pitched up, you can go straight, but anything shorter, you can go cover and point, and Jaiswal has realized that.” He also noted that England’s field changes seemed uncharacteristically reactive, adding, “This is a little different from the usual Stokes, where every plan is set and well thought out. England has been making things up a little as they go this morning, with field changes over to over and sometimes ball to ball.”

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Some heated JAISBALL 🆚 BAZBALL on display! 👀#ENGvIND 👉 2nd Test, Day 1 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar ➡ https://t.co/g6BryBoy3Y pic.twitter.com/ZJWy1ir2ih

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 2, 2025

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