India's Fielding Woes Blamed for First Test Defeat Against England: Former Selector Voices Concerns

Former Selector Pinpoints Fielding Lapses in India's Test Defeat

Kiran More, former Indian cricket selector and wicketkeeper, is urging patience with the Indian Test team following their recent five-wicket loss to England in the first Test at Headingley. More believes that fielding errors were a critical factor in the defeat.

Yashasvi Jaiswal's century wasn't enough to secure a win.

"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's impressive 149, coupled with Joe Root's unbeaten 53 and Jamie Smith's 44 not out, propelled England to victory. This win represents England's second-highest successful chase ever and their highest against India in Test matches.

More also commented on India's batting performance, stating, "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 score of 471 was built upon centuries from Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101). However, a concerning collapse saw them lose seven wickets for a mere 41 runs. England responded with 465, with notable contributions from Duckett (62), Ollie Pope (106), and Brook (99). Their lower order also contributed significantly, adding 189 runs for the last five wickets.

In their second innings, India seemed to be in a commanding position at 333/4, thanks to a 195-run partnership between Pant (118) and K.L. Rahul (137). However, another collapse ensued, with the team losing six wickets for just 31 runs, eventually being dismissed for 364 and setting England a target of 371.

More emphasized the need for patience with the team, stating, "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."

Highlights of the first Test match between India and England.

Jasprit Bumrah, despite his best efforts, went wicketless in the second innings. Prasidh Krishna's performance was expensive, and the dropped catches, particularly of Harry Brook, proved to be pivotal moments in England's favor.

"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," More concluded.

The successful chase at Headingley marked the third time a target exceeding 350 has been achieved at the venue. The match was also only the third in Test history where all four innings surpassed 350 runs, highlighting the high-scoring nature of the encounter.