India's Batting Collapses Trigger Debate: Gambhir Defends Lower Order, Cites Missed Catches, Workload Management as Factors in Test Loss

By Kaushik Rangarajan

India's hopes crumbled on the final day at Headingley, as England completed a remarkable 371-run chase. This defeat, India's seventh in their last nine Tests, was particularly disappointing given their strong position earlier in the match.

Despite scoring 835 runs and boasting five centurions, including Rishabh Pant with a century in each innings, India fell short due to two significant batting collapses.

India suffered a loss of 7 wickets for 41 runs in the first innings and 6 for 31 in the second. The first collapse undermined what could have been a commanding lead, allowing England to stay within striking distance. The second collapse left India with a defendable but ultimately insufficient target of 371.

Shubman Gill, after his century, mentioned the team aimed for a target of "around 435." However, head coach Gautam Gambhir believed the crucial moment occurred earlier. He stated that reaching 570 or 580 in the first innings could have secured India's dominance.

Indian fielders miss key opportunities. © Getty

Gambhir defended the lower order's performance. Shardul Thakur, selected for his all-round abilities, was dismissed playing aggressive shots. Prasidh Krishna fell attempting a slog sweep while batting with Ravindra Jadeja.

"It's not that they weren't applying themselves. Sometimes people fail, and that's okay," Gambhir said. He acknowledged the disappointment within the team, emphasizing their hard work and the unfortunate nature of failures. He expressed hope for improvement from the tailenders but stressed that their performance wasn't the sole reason for the defeat.

Another significant factor was India's poor catching. Seven catches were dropped, with Yashasvi Jaiswal being a repeat offender. Ben Duckett, dropped on 97, went on to score a crucial 149. Gill admitted the team had discussed the issue and needed to improve their standards, especially on challenging wickets.

Gill noted that the team is young and still learning, hoping for improvement in upcoming matches.

However, Gambhir rejected the "young team" excuse. "Every defeat is bad, regardless of the team's experience," he stated. "We represent 140 crore proud Indians and strive to win every game. There are no excuses; we will approach each Test match with the intention of winning the series."

Gambhir also confirmed that Jasprit Bumrah would play only two more Test matches as part of a pre-series workload management plan. The specific matches haven't been decided yet.

He emphasized the team's belief in their bowling attack, even without Bumrah, stating that the squad is picked based on trust, not just hope. He acknowledged the bowlers' inexperience but expressed confidence in their continued improvement and ability to deliver victories.