Haddin Calls for 'Attitude Adjustment' from Shubman Gill After Fielding Lapses Haunt India

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Brad Haddin has issued a warning to India's newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, urging him to make an "attitude adjustment" following India's recent defeat to England in the first Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy 2025.

Shubman Gill under pressure to improve team performance.

India suffered a five-wicket loss to England at Headingley, a match where the team's poor fielding was a major factor. Despite India having five centurions in the match, they dropped eight catches across two innings, allowing England to chase down a target of 371 runs.

Ben Duckett, the England opener, benefited significantly from these fielding lapses. He was dropped in both innings and capitalized by scoring 211 runs, including a match-winning 149 in the fourth innings. Duckett's outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Match award and gave England 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 stated on the Willow Talk podcast.

Team India prepares for the second test.

Haddin also suggested that the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 might be contributing to the declining fielding 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 added.

Despite the strong batting performance, the Indian pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to make a significant impact, further hampered by the dropped catches.

Team India is now focused on the second Test match, which will be held at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham from July 2-6, 2025. The team will need to address their fielding concerns to level the series.

England has already announced their squad for the second Test, with Ben Stokes continuing as captain. Key players such as Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes are included in the squad as they aim to extend their lead in the series.