Shubman Gill's Attitude Under Scrutiny: Aussie Legend Haddin Issues Warning Ahead of Edgbaston Test

Haddin Urges Shubman Gill to Rectify Attitude Ahead of Edgbaston Test

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

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

The loss, despite India showcasing strong batting with five centurions, was largely impacted by subpar fielding. The team's eight dropped catches across two innings significantly contributed to England successfully chasing a target of 371 runs.

India's fielding errors proved particularly detrimental in the case of England opener Ben Duckett, who was dropped in both innings. Duckett capitalized on these opportunities, scoring 211 runs, including a match-winning 149 in the fourth innings. This 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 link between the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and the observed decline in catching 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.

The Indian team's fielding performance overshadowed their batting display, where they managed to post competitive totals in both innings. The pace attack, despite being led by Jasprit Bumrah, struggled to make a significant impact, further hindered by the dropped catches.

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

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