Shubman Gill and Team India (Source: AP)
Former Australian player Brad Haddin has launched a strong comment on India’s fielding performance in the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He said that the issues go beyond technical failings and point to a deep-rooted 'attitude problem' within the setup. In his sharp remarks, Haddin suggested that newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill needs to lead a cultural shift if he hopes to build a lasting legacy.
India suffered a five-wicket defeat at Headingley after dropping as many as 10 catches across both innings. England capitalised on India’s generosity to chase down a record 371 runs in the fourth innings, with opener Ben Duckett smashing a match-winning 149. Duckett, who was dropped twice in the game, amassed 211 runs and was named Player of the Match.
Brad Haddin Slams India’s Fielding
Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast as quoted by Indian Express, Haddin did not mince his words.
“Every great team, no matter what year you’re playing, the one stand out 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. 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" Haddin said on the Podcast.
Haddin pointed to the IPL as a sign of declining fielding standards, suggesting that the poor habits from franchise cricket may be carrying over to the international stage.
"Even in the IPL this year, the catching was horrible. And that could be a byproduct," Haddin said on the Podcast.
While most of the missed chances at Headingley came from youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant. The fielding woes overshadowed India’s solid batting performance and left their bowlers, particularly pace ace Jasprit Bumrah, with little support in crunch moments.
Haddin Predicts India’s Top-Order Will Face Heat In 2nd Test
The former Australian star also predicted that India’s batting lineup would be under considerable pressure heading into the second Test at Edgbaston on July 2, especially after the middle and lower order failed to deliver in Leeds.
“What hasn’t happened for the first time is India’s batting collapse. There’s a lot of pressure on that top order. If you get through them, they will run through the remaining," said Haddin.
India’s fielding errors not only allowed England to stay in the game but turned a potentially tight contest into a comfortable victory for the hosts, giving them a 1-0 lead in the series.
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