India’s dismal fielding display proved costly as they succumbed to a five-wicket defeat against England in the opening Test at Headingley on Tuesday. England successfully chased down a mammoth 371-run target on the final day, thanks to a blistering 149 by Ben Duckett, a calm unbeaten 53 from Joe Root, and Jamie Smith’s aggressive 44*.
Throughout the match, the Indian side dropped as many as eight catches — a lapse that gifted the hosts nearly 250 runs, ultimately tilting the contest in England’s favour.
Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had a forgettable outing in the field, being responsible for four dropped chances. His first miss came in just the fifth over of the first innings, dropping Duckett on 11. The England opener went on to score 62 before being dismissed 23.5 overs later. Two overs later, experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja put down another chance, once again allowing Duckett to carry on — this time on 15.
In the 31st over, Jaiswal failed to grasp a regulation chance offered by Ollie Pope, who was batting on 60 at the time. Pope made the most of the opportunity, going on to notch up a crucial 106.
The mistakes didn’t end there. Wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant dropped Harry Brook on 46 in the 72nd over. Brook added another 53 runs before falling for 99. He was dropped again by Jaiswal on 82 in the 85th over.
Debutant Sai Sudharsan also joined the list of fielding culprits, spilling Jamie Smith’s catch in the 72nd over when the batter was on 19. Smith capitalised on the reprieve, finishing with a brisk 40*.
India’s catching woes extended into England’s second innings. Jasprit Bumrah, leading the pace attack, dropped a sharp return catch off his own bowling to give Zak Crawley a lifeline on 38. The opener added another 27 runs before being dismissed for 65.
To make matters worse, Jaiswal dropped Duckett for a second time — and fourth overall — in the 39th over of the innings, when the southpaw was batting on 97. Duckett made India pay dearly, smashing 149 before his dismissal 15.5 overs later.
The missed opportunities proved fatal for the visitors, allowing England to turn the tide at a venue that has long been their fortress.
With the series now under pressure, India will need to regroup quickly and address their fielding lapses ahead of the next Test.
