Haddin Calls for 'Attitude Adjustment' from Gill After Fielding Woes Plague India in First Test

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has challenged India's newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, to make a crucial "attitude adjustment" following India's recent defeat to England in the first Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy 2025. The loss, suffered by five wickets at Headingley, has prompted scrutiny of India's fielding performance.

Shubman Gill leading India in the first Test match.

Despite India's impressive batting display, which included five centurions, their poor fielding proved costly. The team dropped a staggering eight catches across both innings, ultimately enabling England to successfully chase down a target of 371 runs.

The dropped catches were particularly detrimental in the case of England opener Ben Duckett, who was given multiple lifelines. Duckett capitalized on these opportunities, scoring 211 runs, including a match-winning 149 in the fourth innings. His stellar performance earned him the Player of the Match award and propelled England to 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 emphasized on the Willow Talk podcast.

The former Australian player also raised concerns about the potential impact of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on fielding standards. He suggested a possible correlation between the tournament and the apparent decline in catching proficiency.

"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 elaborated.

While the Indian team showcased commendable batting prowess, their pace attack, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to consistently make breakthroughs. The dropped catches further exacerbated their challenges.

Team India is now gearing up for the second Test match, which is scheduled to be held at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham from July 2-6, 2025. Addressing their fielding woes will be paramount if they aim to level the series.

England has already announced their squad for the second Test, with Ben Stokes continuing to lead the team. The squad features prominent players such as Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes, who are all eager to build on their initial success in the series.