New Delhi,  August 23, 2026

A heated on-field confrontation involving Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lankan pacer Asitha Fernando during the second Test has brought the Indian opener under the spotlight for a possible breach of the ICC Code of Conduct. The incident, which saw physical contact between the two players amid a tense exchange, could potentially lead to action under the governing body's disciplinary regulations.

The confrontation occurred shortly after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal for 45 with a sharp nip-backer during the first session of the second Test at the SSC ground. As Jaiswal began walking back, Fernando gave him a send-off, leading the Indian batter to turn around and confront the Sri Lankan fast bowler.

During the heated verbal exchange, Jaiswal's helmet came into contact with Fernando's forehead before Sri Lankan captain Dhananjaya de Silva stepped in and separated the two players. India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak later suggested that the incident may have unfolded in the intensity of the situation, while also acknowledging that Jaiswal should not have made body contact with the opposition player. “I think they must have said something to him and it might have happened in the heat of the moment. Obviously, Jaiswal, I don't think he should have been so close (to Fernando), but that happens when you are in the heat of the moment,” Kotak said in the post-day press conference.

The matter could now come under Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to “inappropriate physical contact” with another player during an international match. With match officials expected to examine the incident, the altercation has added an off-field disciplinary dimension to an already intense Test contest.