Haddin to Gill: Address Attitude Issues or India's Fielding Woes Will Persist

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has urged India's new Test captain, Shubman Gill, to reassess his approach following India's recent five-wicket defeat to England in the opening Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy 2025 at Headingley.

India captain Shubman Gill under pressure to improve team attitude.

The loss, despite India boasting five centurions in the match, has been largely blamed on substandard fielding. The team's eight dropped catches across both innings proved costly, enabling England to successfully chase a target of 371 runs.

India's fielding errors were particularly detrimental concerning England's opener, Ben Duckett, who was dropped twice and capitalized by scoring 211 runs, including a crucial 149 in the fourth innings that sealed the victory. Duckett's impressive performance earned him the Player of the Match award, granting England a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

"Every great team, regardless of the era, shares one defining trait: exceptional fielding. I believe that is one legacy Gill needs to instill in this team. He requires an attitude adjustment," Haddin stated on the Willow Talk podcast.

The former Australian keeper also hinted at potential issues stemming from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, implying a possible link between the tournament and the decreased catching standards.

"If you aspire to field well and consistently compete, it all boils down to attitude. You can engage in all the technical preparation off the field and have any number of coaches, but it won't suffice. Even in the IPL this year, the catching was abysmal. And that could be a contributing factor," Haddin added.

The Indian team's lackluster fielding overshadowed their batting performance, where they managed to post competitive totals in both innings. The pace attack, even with spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to make a significant impact and was further undermined by the dropped catches.

Team India is now gearing up for the second Test match, scheduled to take place at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham from July 2-6, 2025. The team must address their fielding concerns to level the series.

England has already announced their squad for the second Test, with Ben Stokes continuing to captain. The squad includes key players such as Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes, as they aim to capitalize on their lead in the series.