Gill Needs 'Attitude Adjustment' Warns Aussie Legend Haddin Ahead of Edgbaston Test

Haddin Urges Shubman Gill to Adjust Attitude Ahead of Edgbaston Test

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Brad Haddin has called on India's new Test captain, Shubman Gill, to make an "attitude adjustment" following India's five-wicket defeat to England in the first Test of the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy 2025 at Headingley.

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

The loss, despite India posting five centuries in the match, was largely attributed to a poor fielding display. The team dropped eight catches across two innings, enabling England to successfully chase a target of 371 runs.

India's costly fielding errors were particularly evident 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. Duckett's stellar performance earned him the Player of the Match award and gave England a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

"Every great team, regardless of the era, has always been a great fielding team. I think that is one legacy Gill has to start to instill in this team. He needs an attitude adjustment," Haddin stated on the Willow Talk podcast.

The former Australian keeper also highlighted potential issues arising from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, suggesting a connection between the tournament and declining catching standards.

"If you want to field well and compete consistently, it's all about attitude. You can do all the technical work off the field and have as many coaches as you want, 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 performance, where they posted competitive totals in both innings. Despite having Jasprit Bumrah leading the pace attack, they struggled to make an impact, further hindered by the dropped catches.

Team India is now preparing for the second Test match, scheduled to 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 continuing as captain. The squad includes key players like Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes, as they aim to build on their series lead.