England Downs India in First Test; Fielding Blunders Draw Criticism From Former Selector

Former India Selector Criticizes Team India's Fielding After First Test Loss

Following India's five-wicket defeat to England in the first Test at Headingley, former Indian cricket selector Kiran More has called for patience while pinpointing fielding as a key area of concern.

"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, taking a 1-0 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Ben Duckett led the charge with 149 runs, while Joe Root remained unbeaten on 53, and Jamie Smith contributed 44 not out. This victory represents England's 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. 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 them reach 471, with centuries from Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101). However, a collapse saw them lose seven wickets for just 41 runs. England responded with 465, featuring contributions from Duckett (62), Ollie Pope (106), and Brook (99), with their last five wickets adding 189 runs.

In their second innings, India's position appeared strong at 333/4, thanks to a 195-run partnership between Pant (118) and K.L. Rahul (137). The team then lost six wickets for 31 runs, eventually being dismissed for 364 and setting England a target of 371.

"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."

Jasprit Bumrah was unable to take a wicket in the second innings despite his best efforts. Prasidh Krishna proved expensive, and several dropped catches, especially those of Harry Brook, proved to be costly for India.

"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."

The successful chase at Headingley was the third time a target over 350 has been achieved at the venue. This match was also only the third in Test history where all four innings exceeded 350 runs.