Both India and England have faced criticism for the number of catches which have been dropped during the first Test of their series at Headingley, with pundits theorising on the reasons for the fielding errors.
One of the most prominent discussion topics from the match has been the dropped catches, with both sides culpable of costly misses. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been particularly guilty for India, dropping Ollie Pope on 60 on day two before the England No.3 went on to make a century, with his count of drops reaching four for the game on day five. England also put down several chances, with Harry Brook dropping KL Rahul on 59 in India’s second innings before he too went on to make a hundred.
1st Test, England vs India
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Is the ground itself to blame?
Speaking on BBC Test Match Special at the end of day four, former England captain Alastair Cook put forward that players might not be used to playing on Headingley’s slope. “There have been five catches that have gone down in the slip cordon,” said Cook. “I think there are two possible reasons why. The first one I’m not so sure about is the slope. Whether the players aren’t used to it. The square as you look at it is quite a long way above where they are so whether that makes an impact when you’re catching it.”
While Lord’s is more well known for its slope of the Test grounds in England, Headingley also lies on an incline from the Rugby Ground end to the Kirkstall Lane end. Jasprit Bumrah also mentioned that the slope was a challenge for the India players who aren’t used to playing at Headingley.
A lot of chances have gone to ground in the first #ENGvIND Test and we've heard a lot about Headingley being a "hard catching ground".
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) June 23, 2025
Sir Alastair Cook got out to the slip cordon at lunch to discuss a few of the theories why we've seen so many dropped catches. pic.twitter.com/21QagFYPyL
“Mostly in India we are used to playing on simple, flat grounds that are not slopey,” said Bumrah. “One side is up, one side is down and it’s a little tricky sometimes because you start from a place up high, then it goes steep, and then you go back up.”
However, while the India players might not be used to playing at Headingley or a similar venue, that can’t be said to explain why England have put down their chances. England play a Test at Headingley most years, and its Harry Brook and Joe Root’s home ground among those in the England XI. Cook had another explanation for the drops.
“I think the main reason for this ground in particular, if you look at the stands there’s a black line, a really dark black line and if the ball goes into that, I think players miss it a little bit,” said Cook. “You miss picking up that crucial bit and you panic. When you want to catch, you want to have firm, hard hands but also a nice relaxed body. So if you miss a little bit and you think, ‘where’s the ball gone?’ You panic and you get electric hands.
“A couple of chances today have gone through which are hitting them a little bit harder and earlier than they expect. I was just saying at the other end here there’s another line in this new beautiful stand just underneath the first layer. If it hits there, players are really really struggling.”
Does the crowd play a part in dropped catches?
Former England bowler Stuart Broad put forward another explanation for the drops. “Headingley is a difficult viewing ground,” said Broad, speaking on Sky Sports. “You can lose a ball in the stands, and when the clouds are in, certain bits are darker. You only have to lose it for 0.1 seconds and you get tense.
“I think it can be quite a difficult place to catch, to be honest. Do you know what actually makes it harder? It’s the crowd. When it gets a bit colder, the crowd have different coloured coats on, and there’s a couple of empty seats in the stands as well, so the ball comes out a bit differently from the crowd. And also when the sun’s not out, when the clouds are in, it can just be a little bit darker in certain parts of the ground.”
The catch Yashasvi Jaiswal put down in the afternoon session of day five came less than three overs before the players were taken off for rain, with the sky having been grey and overcast all day. Conditions have also been windy when the clouds have been covering the ground, making the ball harder to follow and less predictable. Following the rain delay, India took two quick wickets to leave England still requiring 165 to win with eight wickets in hand.
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