India’s Tuesday to forget at Headingley

Head coach Gautam Gambhir faced a barrage of questions at the post-match press conference following India’s chastening five-wicket loss to England in the opening Test at Headingley. With new skipper Shubman Gill leading a transitional Indian team, Gambhir`s defence leaned heavily on patience and perspective, with phrases like `early days` and `give them time` in place to deflect scrutiny from both the inexperienced leadership and a misfiring lower order.

This defeat, despite five individual centuries, a Test record, has led to deeper concerns, many of which had already been simmering when the playing XI was announced last Friday. With no Mohammed Shami (out with a knee injury), Jasprit Bumrah’s limited impact in the second innings (with his overall workload in mind), and an underwhelming bowling attack, how India are going to take the 20 wickets needed to win a Test remains an open question.

Jasprit Bumrah drops the ball of England`s Zak Crawley on day five (Photo: AFP)

The decision to pick Prasidh Krishna over the more promising Nitish Kumar Reddy in seam-friendly conditions proved puzzling. Krishna, still new to red-ball cricket, failed to leave a mark. Mohammed Siraj, considered the senior-most pacer after Bumrah, lacked consistency in both length and threat, while Shardul Thakur’s inclusion backfired. Despite being picked for his all-round capabilities, Thakur was barely used with the ball, not introduced until the 40th over of the first innings, and conceded over six runs an over in his brief spells. His second-innings burst of two wickets was too little, too late.

In hindsight, opting for someone like Reddy for batting depth or Kuldeep Yadav for variation and control might have served India better. However, the management made its bets, and they didn’t pay off.

With the exit of Test stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma just weeks ago, the new-look Indian batting order did rise to the occasion. India finished Day 1 on 369/3 after choosing to bat first, led by fine centuries from Jaiswal (101), Gill (147), Pant (134 & 118), and KL Rahul (137). Yet, not one of them batted long enough to decisively shut England out of the contest.

Where the top order dazzled, the lower order crumbled. Across both innings, India’s last four wickets combined for a mere 9 runs in the first innings (1, 0, 3, 1) and 4 in the second (4, 0, 0, 0), just 13 runs from batters No. 8 to 11. In contrast, England’s lower order added a game-changing 72 runs.

Rishabh Pant watches the ball drop safe, after England`s Harry Brook edges a ball bowled by India`s Ravindra Jadeja on day three (Photo: AFP)

From a commanding 430/3 in the first innings, India slumped to 471 all out. In the second, 333/4 unraveled to 364. Both collapses allowed England to stay in the hunt.

India’s problems didn’t end there. Fielding, particularly catching, was well below Test standards. While both sides dropped chances at Headingley, a ground notorious for tricky skies and fast outfields, India’s missed opportunities proved far more damaging.

Jaiswal was the chief offender, putting down at least four catches across both innings. Among the beneficiaries were Ben Duckett (who added 51 and 52 after his drops), Ollie Pope (added 46), and Harry Brook (16). Others included drops from Ravindra Jadeja, a fumbled chance by Pant, and a misjudgment from Sai Sudharsan. To worsen matters, Bumrah overstepped and bowled a no-ball when he dismissed Brook for zero, that came back to haunt India as the Englishman grew in confidence.

Yet, heading into Day 5, India were still in a strong position. With England needing 371 on a deteriorating pitch, rain forecasts, and a required run rate of nearly four, the odds favoured the visitors. But England, under the fearless ethos of `Bazball,` chased down the target with minimum fuss.

This article first appeared on Mid Day