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How did India lose the match to England despite having five centuries in Leeds Test? ICT fans want to know!
Drops by Yashasvi Jaiwal, listless Indian bowlers, Head Coach’s losing streak in red-ball format – Indian fans listed reasons as to why Shubman Gill’s team lost to England despite boasting of five centurions in the Leeds Test. (X / BCCI)
England chased down the mammoth target of 371 set by India with five wickets in hand and 84 deliveries to spare, helping them secure a 1-0 lead in Headingley, Leeds in the five-match Test series on Tuesday. For England, Ben Duckett scored a swift 149 runs from 170 balls, while Zak Crawley and Joe Root slammed half-centuries helping the hosts get to the finish line in just 82 overs. This was the only second time India couldn’t defend a 350+ target in 93 years. The loss stung ICT fans, who desperately sought answers as to how a team with five centurions could end up on the losing side.
In a quest to find reasons behind India’s discouraging loss, fans blamed several departments where India emerged inferior to the hosts, England.
Batting Collapse
Asked to bat first, India produced three glorious hundreds. Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) notched up a beautiful ton as the opening batter. This was followed up with double centuries, one from the debuting Test captain Shubman Gill (147) and the other coming from the bat of swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant (134). India were clearly onto something. 430/3 on the board, comfortable. The entire side folded for 471.
Something similar happened in the second innings when India with a lead of 6 runs came out to bat. Opening batter KL Rahul made batting look elegant and easy in his stylish 137. Rishabh Pant, on the other hand, carried on with his unorthodox approach which was effective once again as the wicketkeeper-batter scored a second ton in the match, notching up several records with his 118.
The visiting team looked in command with 333 for 4 on the scoreboard. The side, shockingly, were bundled out for 364.
Drop Catches
If the twin batting collapses frustrated Indian cricket fans, the drop catches by India left fans fuming with rage. At the forefront of the criticism was Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Jaiswal became the first Indian cricketer to drop as many as four catches in a single Test. The 23-year-old was guilty of giving second lives to Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett, and Harry Brook.
Jaiswal drops have been crazy effective Duckett 11 -> 62 Pope 60 -> 106Brook 83-> 99Duckett 97 -> 149
— Abn77 (@Wean__007) June 24, 2025
Even if I sound harsh.Jaiswal has let India down and on the verge of loss vs England single handedly.
Man has now dropped 4-5 catches alone. pic.twitter.com/srAU6k8fDc
— Inside out (@INSIDDE_OUT) June 24, 2025
Also Read: Karun Nair Brutally Trolled On ‘X’: Decoding The Bizarre Test Career Of Vidarbha Hero
Kohli’s Aggression
ICT fans dearly missed India’s most successful Test captain Virat Kohli. But they were not alone. Ravi Shastri, India’s former coach who was in the commentary box, remarked on-air that India desperately needed Kohli’s aggression who gave the same opponents hell during Lord’s triumph.
“Someone needs to do the Kohli job, right in the face of opponents. But I don’t think there’s one guy who can do it, Kohli alone could do it for three,” Shastri, sat in the comm box, minced no words.
Bowling
Not only were India unable to defend a staggering target of 371, but they also had no control over England’s strike rate. Prasidh Krishna did scalp two English wickets but he did so at an economy rate of over 6. In his 15 overs, Krishna leaked 92 runs. Apart from a brief moment of success for Shardul Thakur, who removed two wickets in two balls, the all-rounder seemed ineffective for the most part.
“The batting collapses in both the inns will get a lot of flak, and rightly so, but they are not the reason for India not winning.
At best, the non collapses, would have ensured that this a draw, but the Indian bowling in the 2nd innings was so listless that India weren’t getting, (sic)” a user on ‘X’ lambasted the Indian bowling attack.
Coach
In the quest to analyse India’s loss, the team’s Head Coach Gautam Gambhir wasn’t spared by the aggrieved Test viewers.
With a win percentage of 27.27%, India under Gambhir in the red-ball format have won just three out of eleven Tests.
Gautam Gambhir as a coach – Lost the ODI Series vs SL – Lost the Test series vs NZ at home – Ended the 12 year Test series win streak– Lost BGT after 12 years– Bottled WTC Final qualification – Forced Kohli and Rohit to retire– Bottled the first test vs ENG pic.twitter.com/tWVutKq6cl
— Beast (@Beast__07_) June 24, 2025
India, in their last nine Tests, have lost seven, drawn one, and won just one encounter. In sharp contrast, Gambhir has tasted success in the white-ball format as the Head Coach.
Anurag Verma, News Editor at News18.com, works independently for the Viral section. Bollywood, Cricket, Science, Tech, YouTube, Reddit, Meme Origins and everything Pop-culture are his forte. He covers humourous…Read More
Anurag Verma, News Editor at News18.com, works independently for the Viral section. Bollywood, Cricket, Science, Tech, YouTube, Reddit, Meme Origins and everything Pop-culture are his forte. He covers humourous… Read More
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