Haddin Calls for Shubman Gill to Revamp Approach After India's Test Loss

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has advised India's newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, to "adjust his attitude" following India's recent five-wicket loss to England in the inaugural Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy 2025 at Headingley.

India captain Shubman Gill

The defeat, despite India showcasing strong batting with five centurions, was largely blamed on substandard fielding. The team dropped eight catches across both innings, allowing England to successfully chase a target of 371 runs.

India's fielding errors proved particularly costly with England opener Ben Duckett, who was dropped in both innings and capitalized by scoring 211 runs, including a match-winning 149 in the fourth innings. Duckett's stellar performance earned him the Player of the Match award, propelling England to a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

"Every great team, regardless of the era, has always been a great fielding team. I think that is one legacy Gill has to start to leave now on this team. He needs an attitude adjustment," Haddin stated on the Willow Talk podcast.

The former Australian wicketkeeper also highlighted potential issues arising from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, suggesting a link between the tournament and declining catching 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 lackluster fielding overshadowed their batting performance, where they managed to post competitive totals in both innings. The pace attack, despite having spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to make a significant impact, further hindered by the dropped catches.

Team India is currently preparing for the second Test match, scheduled to be held at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham from July 2-6, 2025. The team must address their fielding concerns to level the series.

England has announced their squad for the second Test, with Ben Stokes continuing as captain. The squad features key players such as Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes, aiming to build on their series lead.