India’s newly-appointed Test captain Shubman Gill has come under scrutiny after a dismal fielding display contributed to a five-wicket loss against England in the opening match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley. The visitors were left ruing eight dropped chances across both innings, as England chased down a record 371 – their second-highest successful run chase in Test history.
Despite strong performances with the bat, India’s efforts were undermined by their sloppy fielding and a pace attack that struggled to provide meaningful support to Jasprit Bumrah. England opener Ben Duckett was the standout performer, hammering a blistering 149 in the final innings. Ironically, Duckett was dropped twice during the match – once in each innings and went on to score a match-winning 211 runs. He was deservedly named Player of the Match.
Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin didn’t mince words. He believes Gill must take charge of raising India’s fielding standards if they want to be a serious Test force under his leadership.
“Every great team, no matter the era, is built on exceptional fielding. That has to be Gill’s legacy now – to instill that culture,” Haddin said. “Fielding is all about attitude. You can have all the coaches in the world, but if your mindset isn’t right, it doesn’t matter. And to be honest, the catching in this year’s IPL was just as poor. Maybe we’re seeing the after-effects of that now.”
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Haddin also pointed out that India’s batting collapses – another worrying trend have added pressure on the top order. In the first innings, India crumbled from 430 for 3 to 471 all out. In the second, they lost six wickets for just 31 runs while trying to build a defendable lead.
“India’s middle and lower order hasn’t stepped up. Once you get through the top three or four, you’re through the rest quickly. That’s been the pattern,” he noted.
With the series still wide open, the pressure is now squarely on Gill – not just to lead with the bat, but to bring discipline, energy, and intent to the fielding unit. India will need to bounce back quickly if they hope to avoid falling behind in what’s shaping up to be a fiercely contested series.
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