Shubman Gill Under Fire: Aussie Legend Haddin Demands 'Attitude Adjustment' After Test Defeat

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Brad Haddin has urged India's newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, to demonstrate a significant "attitude adjustment" following India's recent five-wicket defeat against England. The loss occurred in the opening Test match of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy 2025 at Headingley.

India captain Shubman Gill (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Despite India showcasing strong batting prowess with five centurions throughout the match, the defeat was largely attributed to a subpar fielding performance. The team's eight dropped catches across both innings proved costly, enabling England to successfully chase down a target of 371 runs.

India's fielding errors were particularly detrimental in the case of England opener Ben Duckett. Duckett, dropped in both innings, capitalized on these opportunities to score a remarkable 211 runs, including a match-winning 149 in the fourth innings. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award and propelled England to 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.

The former Australian keeper also suggested a potential connection between the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and the declining catching standards observed in the Test match.

"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, highlighting the importance of maintaining a focused and determined mindset.

The Indian team's disappointing fielding overshadowed their otherwise solid batting performance, where they posted competitive totals in both innings. The pace attack, led by Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to make a significant impact and was further hampered by the missed opportunities in the field.

Team India is now gearing up for the second Test match, scheduled to take place at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham from July 2-6, 2025. The team must urgently address their fielding concerns to level the series.

England has already announced their squad for the second Test, with Ben Stokes continuing as captain. The squad includes key players such as Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes, as they aim to build on their series lead.