India's Fielding Woes Exposed After First Test Loss to England, Says Former Selector

Former India Selector Criticizes Team's Fielding After Test Defeat

Kiran More, former Indian wicketkeeper and selector, has urged fans to be patient with the Indian Test team following their five-wicket loss to England in the first Test at Headingley. He pinpointed fielding as a critical area of concern in the defeat.

Yashasvi Jaiswal of India (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

"We played very well for four days," More told IANS. "I think the mistake came on the last day when England played outstanding cricket. Fielding was where we slipped. Those were simple catches — no one drops those — and that made the difference.”

England successfully chased down a target of 371 runs on the final day, securing a 1-0 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Ben Duckett led the charge with 149, supported by Joe Root's unbeaten 53 and Jamie Smith's not out 44. This victory represents England's second-highest successful chase ever, and their highest against India.

"In the first two days, we were really good, and I felt we could've added another 100–150 runs to our total. If we had scored 450 in the first innings, things might've been different. In the second innings, Rishabh and KL Rahul did well. But again, we collapsed at key moments."

India's first innings featured centuries from Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), culminating in a total of 471. However, a significant collapse saw them lose seven wickets for just 41 runs. England responded with 465, with notable contributions from Duckett (62), Ollie Pope (106), and Brook (99).

India's strong position at 333/4 in their second innings, highlighted by a 195-run partnership between Pant (118) and K.L. Rahul (137), ultimately crumbled. The team lost six wickets for 31 runs, eventually being dismissed for 364 and setting England a target of 371.

"We've got a good, balanced team, but this team is still in transition. I think we need to give them time — a year or so — to settle, find the right combination, and grow into a strong unit. We've scored over 750 runs across both innings, so the batting is there. But we can't keep depending on Bumrah. He needs support — especially from the spinners."

Jasprit Bumrah went wicketless in the second innings, and Prasidh Krishna's performance proved expensive. Crucially, multiple dropped catches, particularly of Harry Brook, had a significant impact on the game's outcome for Team India.

"We've seen it before — from Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin, to Kohli and Rohit. Now it's time for new faces to step up. They need time and support. If we keep playing like this and keep making the same mistakes, we won't improve. But give this group time, and we'll have a good team."

The successful chase at Headingley marked the third time a target over 350 has been achieved at this venue. The match was also only the third in Test history where all four innings exceeded 350 runs.