A new-look India under Shubman Gill started their World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle with a five-wicket loss against England in the first Anderson-Tendulkar Test at Headingley in Leeds on Tuesday. After edging out England in the first innings by taking a slender 6-run lead, India set a steep target of 371, which the home side chased comfortably in just 82 overs with five wickets to spare.
Indian batsmen hit five centuries in addition to Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul in the first innings, but ended up losing the Test. This has been the first instance in the history of Test cricket where a team has lost the match after scoring five centuries.
The biggest differentiator between the two sides was the fielding. Team India dropped eight clear chances and one half chance in addition to a missed run-out opportunity, which eventually cost them the game. Out of these, Yashasvi Jaiswal alone dropped four catches in two innings.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended his side and refused to single out any player to put the blame on or the failure of any single department for the defeat.
“I won’t single out anyone for defeat,” Gambhir said in the post-match press conference after the loss.
“The first thing is that catches get dropped. The best fielders drop catches. The lower-order batting was a bit disappointing. If we had made 600 in the first innings, we could have dominated. Hopefully we will learn in the second Test (in Birmingham),” he said.
“But that is not the only reason we lost. Everyone wants to contribute and I won’t single out anyone. We lose together and win together,” added Gambhir.
Coach Gambhir also confirmed that the loss will not change the fact that Bumrah will play only two more Tests during this tour.
“To manage his workload is more important. There’s a lot of cricket going forward, and we know what he brings to the table. Before we came on this tour, it was already decided that he was going to play three Test matches. We haven’t decided which two other Tests he’s going to play,” he said.
Gill, who was leading India for the first time, started confidently as a batter. He scored a fine 147 in the first innings but looked under pressure as a captain in the field. Gambhir urged patience towards Gill.
“These are tough places to captain. It’s like pushing someone into the deep sea, and I am sure he is going to come out as a proper professional. Look, first Test match, obviously, there are nerves. It’s a great honour. As he’s already mentioned, captain of the Test side-not many people get that opportunity and he was phenomenal,” said Gambhir.
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