New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has weighed in on finger taping after a costly dropped catch in the ongoing Test series against England. According to Kaif, excessive taping could be doing more harm than good — dulling a fielder’s natural grip.

India’s catching has been a major concern in the series. The hosts spilled as many as eight chances in the series opener which proved costly as they lost the match by 5 wickets.

Ollie Pope was dropped on 60 and went on to make 106. Similarly, Ben Duckett got a lifeline on 15 and scored 62. Also, in the third Test, KL Rahul dropped Jamie Smith at second slip and the batter went on to score 51 also stitching 87-run ninth wicket stand with Brydon Crase (56) in the first innings.

“I’m not a big fan of heavy taping. Your fingers go numb, and you lose flexibility. When you tape heavily, it thickens the area. When the ball hits, the tape acts like a sponge — it softens the impact, and the ball tends to pop out,” Kaif told IANS.

Kaif also admitted to a more old-school technique. “When I used to field, I’d use saliva — I’d spit on my hands to help the ball stick better. Fielding is about accepting pain. You can’t avoid it — you have to bear it,” he said.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had dropped four crucial catches against England in the series opener in Leeds which cost India dearly as England chase down 371 runs on the final day to seal the win.

“Jaiswal is a good fielder — we’ve seen it in the IPL and in Tests. But with too many layers on the fingers, you lose natural grip and feel. That likely contributed to the dropped catch,” Kaif noted.

The former cricketer further reflected on India’s fielding and said it was overall decent, but also noted that dropping catches can swing the momentum of the game.

“Overall, India’s fielding was decent. There were a few misfields and dropped catches — but that happens in every series. Karun Nair really impressed me — strong hands, clean catching, and excellent technique. Rishabh Pant’s absence was felt. A fully fit Pant would’ve made a big difference behind the stumps.

“Jaiswal dropped a crucial catch in the final match — it came at a turning point. Moments like these can swing games. Still, the catching was fairly solid. Both Shubman Gill and KL Rahul took some sharp ones,” he said.

–IANS

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