India's Fielding Blunders Under Scrutiny After First Test Loss to England or Ex-Selector Blasts India's Costly Dropped Catches in England Test Defeat

Former Indian selector Kiran More has called for patience with the Indian Test team, pinpointing fielding errors as a critical factor in their recent five-wicket loss to England at Headingley.

Yashasvi Jaiswal in action for India

More told IANS, "We played very well for four days. 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's successful chase of 371 secured a 1-0 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Key innings from Ben Duckett (149), Joe Root (53 not out), and Jamie Smith (44 not out) propelled England to their 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," More reflected. "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 saw centuries from Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), contributing to a total of 471. However, a subsequent collapse saw them lose seven wickets for just 41 runs. England responded with 465, aided by significant scores from Duckett (62), Ollie Pope (106), and Brook (99), the tailenders adding valuable runs.

In the second innings, India reached a promising 333/4, fueled by a 195-run partnership between Pant (118) and K.L. Rahul (137). However, another collapse ensued, with the team losing six wickets for 31 runs and ultimately being dismissed for 364, setting England a target of 371.

More emphasized the need for stability: "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."

Post-match analysis of India's defeat at Headingley.

Jasprit Bumrah's inability to take wickets in the second innings and Prasidh Krishna's expensive spell further compounded India's woes. Crucially, dropped catches, particularly of Harry Brook, proved to be a turning point.

"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 over 350 has been achieved at this ground. This match also entered the record books as only the third in Test history where all four innings exceeded 350 runs, highlighting the batting-friendly conditions and the need for India to address their fielding deficiencies to compete effectively.