Following India's five-wicket defeat against England in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, captain Shubman Gill has expressed his concerns regarding the team's batting collapses. Gill admitted that the collapses in both innings significantly hampered India's chances of setting a formidable target for the hosts. The match, which concluded on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, saw England successfully chase down a target of 371, marking their second-highest successful run-chase in Test cricket history.
India's batting performance was a mixed bag, characterized by individual brilliance at the top and middle order, but plagued by lower-order collapses. In the first innings, India reached a promising 430/3 before losing seven wickets for a mere 41 runs, eventually being bowled out for 471. A similar collapse occurred in the second innings, where they slumped from 333/4 to 364 all out, losing their last six wickets for just 31 runs. These collapses prevented India from capitalizing on strong starts and setting a target beyond England's reach.
"It was a brilliant Test match. We had our chances, we dropped catches and our lower-order didn't contribute enough, but proud of the team and overall a good effort," Gill stated during the post-match presentation. He acknowledged that the team had opportunities to seize control of the game but failed to capitalize on them. He further added, "Yesterday, we were thinking around 430 odd and declare but we lost six wickets for 25 runs. Unfortunately we didn't score runs at the end which always makes it difficult. (It) just didn't go our way in this match.”
Gill specifically addressed the issue of the lower-order contribution, emphasizing that it was a topic the team had discussed prior to the match. However, he admitted that the collapses occurred rapidly, leaving little room for intervention. “That (lower-order contribution) was something we spoke about. (But) it (collapses) happened so quickly. (It) could be one of those things we have to rectify in the upcoming matches,” he said.
In addition to the batting woes, Gill also highlighted the dropped catches as a contributing factor to the defeat. India's fielders grassed several opportunities, with Yashasvi Jaiswal being the most notable culprit, dropping four catches. Gill defended his side, emphasizing that it is a young and learning team. “Definitely, chances don't come easy on wickets like these. It's a young team, (a) learning one and hopefully we will be able to improve on those aspects,” he said. He also noted that the team bowled well in the first session but struggled to contain the runs once the ball softened.
Despite the defeat, the Indian top order displayed remarkable form, with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill himself, and KL Rahul all scoring centuries. Rishabh Pant also contributed with centuries in both innings, becoming the first Indian to achieve this feat in a Test match. However, this is the first instance in the history of Indian cricket where the team has lost a Test match despite five individual centuries being scored by its batters, underscoring the impact of the collapses.
England's victory was propelled by a strong batting performance, with Ben Duckett's magnificent 149 setting the tone for the chase. Zak Crawley and Joe Root also made significant contributions, ensuring that the hosts remained on track to reach the target.
Looking ahead, Shubman Gill and the Indian team will need to address the batting collapses and improve their fielding if they are to bounce back in the remaining matches of the series. The captain has emphasized the need to rectify these issues and expressed confidence in the team's ability to learn and improve.
