India's Test Defeat: Former Selector Blames Fielding Errors, Urges Patience with Transitioning Team

Following India's five-wicket loss to England in the first Test at Headingley, former Indian selector Kiran More has called for patience, emphasizing the crucial role of fielding errors in the defeat.

Yashasvi Jaiswal during the first Test match.

"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, securing a 1-0 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Ben Duckett's impressive 149, coupled with Joe Root's unbeaten 53 and Jamie Smith's 44 not out, propelled England to victory. This chase was 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 featured centuries from Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), reaching a total of 471. However, a subsequent collapse saw them lose seven wickets for just 41 runs. England responded strongly with 465, including significant contributions from Duckett (62), Ollie Pope (106), and Brook (99).

In their second innings, India reached a seemingly comfortable position at 333/4, thanks to a 195-run partnership between Pant (118) and K.L. Rahul (137). However, the team then lost six wickets for a mere 31 runs, ultimately 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 went wicketless in the second innings. Prasidh Krishna's expensive spell and multiple dropped catches, especially of Harry Brook, further compounded India's woes.

“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 marked the third time a target over 350 has been achieved at this venue. This match also became only the third in Test history where all four innings exceeded 350 runs.