Edgbaston Test: Aussie Legend Haddin Warns Gill on Fielding 'Attitude' After India's Loss

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

Shubman Gill leading the Indian cricket team.

Despite India achieving five centuries during the game, their loss was largely due to a subpar fielding performance. The team missed eight catches across both innings, which allowed England to successfully chase a target of 371 runs.

India's fielding errors were particularly detrimental in the case of England's opening batsman, Ben Duckett. Duckett was dropped in both innings and went on to score 211 runs, including a match-winning 149 in the fourth innings. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award and gave England a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

"Every great team, no matter what year you're playing, the one standout feature they've always had is that they've been a great fielding team. And I think that is one legacy Gill has start to leave now on this team. He needs an attitude adjustment," Haddin stated on the Willow Talk podcast.

Haddin also suggested that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 could be a factor in the declining fielding standards.

"If you want to field well and compete the whole time, it's only attitude. You can do all your technical work off the field and have as many coaches as anyone, but it won't matter. Even in the IPL this year, the catching was horrible. And that could be a byproduct," Haddin added.

The Indian team's batting display was overshadowed by their fielding errors. Despite posting competitive totals in both innings, the pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to make an impact, further hindered by the dropped catches.

Team India is now preparing for the second Test match at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham from July 2-6, 2025. To level the series, the team must address its fielding concerns.

England has announced its squad for the second Test, with Ben Stokes continuing as captain. The squad includes key players such as Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes.