Haddin Calls for Shubman Gill to Adjust Attitude After India's Test Loss; Cites Fielding Concerns

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin has challenged India's newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, to reassess his approach following India's recent five-wicket loss to England in the opening Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy 2025 at Headingley.

India captain Shubman Gill (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

The defeat, despite India showcasing strong batting performances with five centurions, was largely attributed to substandard fielding. The team's eight dropped catches across both innings proved costly, ultimately enabling England to successfully chase down a target of 371 runs.

India's fielding errors were particularly detrimental in the case of England's opener, Ben Duckett, who was dropped in both innings. Duckett capitalized on these opportunities, scoring a remarkable 211 runs, including a match-winning 149 in the fourth innings. His outstanding 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 asserted on the Willow Talk podcast.

The former Australian wicketkeeper also raised concerns about the potential impact of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, suggesting a possible link between the tournament and the decline in 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 elaborated.

The Indian team's lackluster fielding overshadowed their batting performance, where they managed to post competitive totals in both innings. The pace attack, despite being led by Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to make a significant impact and was further hampered by the dropped catches.

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. The team must address their fielding deficiencies to level the series.

England has already 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, who are eager to build on their advantage in the series.