Gavaskar criticizes India’s sloppy fielding and singles out Yashasvi Jaiswal after missed chances cost momentum at Leeds
Leeds | June 22, 2025 — Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar didn’t hold back in his assessment of India’s underwhelming day two performance in the first Test against England, labelling it “very, very disappointing”. Despite centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, India squandered their dominance with a spectacular collapse and shoddy fielding, handing England a strong foothold in the match.
India had earlier surged to 471, but from 430/3, the last seven wickets fell for just 41 runs. To add to the woes, England responded with 209/3 at stumps, thanks to a gritty unbeaten century from Ollie Pope and a flurry of dropped catches that allowed England to seize the day.
Dropped Catches Turn the Tide
Yashasvi Jaiswal, despite his earlier batting heroics, had a forgettable outing in the field, dropping Ben Duckett early in the innings and then putting down Ollie Pope at third slip — a moment that drew sharp criticism from Gavaskar during commentary.
“This was really very, very disappointing. Yashasvi Jaiswal is a very good fielder, but he hasn’t been able to hold on to anything this time,” said Gavaskar. “I don’t think there’ll be any medal given by T Dilip today.”
Ravindra Jadeja also dropped Duckett in the seventh over, and Jasprit Bumrah was particularly unlucky — he induced edges repeatedly but saw multiple chances go begging. Pope capitalized and went on to score his ninth Test ton, guiding England to within 262 runs of India’s first-innings total.
India’s Batting Collapse After Heroic Start
Earlier, Shubman Gill registered a career-best 147, while Rishabh Pant dazzled with a counterattacking 134 — his seventh Test century. India were cruising at 430/3 before Gill’s dismissal triggered a rapid collapse. England’s bowlers tightened lines, and India folded for 471 in 113 overs.
England’s Steady Recovery Led by Pope
England’s innings got off to a delayed start due to rain, but they quickly found rhythm. Duckett (62 off 94) and Pope added 122 runs for the second wicket, navigating Bumrah’s fiery spells. Duckett eventually chopped one onto his stumps, but Pope remained resilient.
India got a brief breakthrough when Bumrah dismissed Joe Root, caught by Nair at first slip — the tenth time Bumrah has removed Root in Tests. Just before lunch, Bumrah nearly dismissed Harry Brook, but an overstep nullified what would have been a crucial wicket.
By day’s end, Pope stood tall with a masterful 100 off 125 balls, decorated with 13 boundaries. Brook and Pope walked off unbeaten, having steadied England’s response with confidence and grit.
India Must Regroup on Day 3
While Bumrah looked lethal, the rest of the bowling unit — including Siraj, Shardul Thakur, and Prasidh Krishna — failed to maintain consistent pressure. With England showing signs of momentum, India now faces the challenge of regrouping on day three, correcting fielding lapses, and striking early to regain control.
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India vs England 1st Test, Sunil Gavaskar criticism, Yashasvi Jaiswal drop catch, Ollie Pope century, Shubman Gill 147, Rishabh Pant century, Jasprit Bumrah, Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025