BY :
Bibhu Prasad Ray
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India Test Team
India’s campaign in the five-Test series against England got off to a disappointing start as they suffered a comprehensive defeat in the 1st Test at Headingley, Leeds.
What began as a promising contest quickly turned into a reality check, as a mix of dropped catches, lower-order collapses, and missed strategic moments cost India the match.
India’s fielding proved costly at key junctures, most notably a dropped catch of allowed Harry Brook that allowed him to score 99 runs in the first innings. The Indian bowlers worked hard to create opportunities but were let down in the field, especially when England’s lower order chipped in with stubborn resistance. These lapses prevented India from gaining a substantial first-innings lead, shifting the momentum England's way.
India’s batting, particularly in the lower order, crumbled in both innings. In the first innings, India were cruising towards a total in excess of 500 before a sudden collapse saw them lose five wickets for just 18 runs, ending at 471. The trend repeated in the second innings. Despite solid knocks from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, India’s tail failed to wag, setting England a chaseable target of 371 instead of the hoped-for around 430 runs.
Post-match, Test captain Shubman Gill expressed frustration with the lower-order’s lack of resistance, calling it a missed opportunity to dominate.
"Yesterday, we were thinking we were going to get around 430 and declare. Unfortunately, our last 6 wickets scored only around 20-25 runs, which is never a good sign," said Gill.
The Headingley loss highlights the gaps India must urgently address from tightening fielding discipline to strengthening the batting depth. With four Tests still to play, India has time to regroup, but the warning signs are clear: England will not let errors go unpunished.
The second test match will be played at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham on July 2nd.
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