"The Indian team has let themselves down massively" - Aakash Chopra on 'disciplinary' mistakes in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Shubman Gill and company let themselves down by committing 'disciplinary' mistakes in the first Test against England. He pointed out that the visitors gave many lifelines to the hosts' batters through dropped catches and no-balls.

England made the most of India's benevolence to post 465 in their first innings on Day 3 of the first Test in Leeds on Sunday, June 22. The visitors ended the day at 90/2 in their second innings, with a lead of 96 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener highlighted that the visitors' failure to do things which were in their control cost them badly during England's innings.

"It sounds cliche, catches win matches, but it's true. There are disciplinary things among which some things are in your hands. Holding catches is in your hands. Improving your fielding is in your hands. Working hard and training are in your hands," Chopra said (4:40).

"If you get a good ball to which you get an outside edge, we can all get it, but fielding and overstepping, these are the things where you have to look within, and that is where I think the Indian team has let themselves down massively. We are talking here, but, obviously, they would be hurting because they dropped catches and bowled no-balls," he added.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that Harry Brook led a charmed life in England's first innings. While acknowledging that Brook missed his hundred by a run, he highlighted that the right-handed batter was caught off a Jasprit Bumrah no-ball on zero before being dropped by Rishabh Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal on 46 and 82, respectively.

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"Yashasvi Jaiswal generally used to be a good fielder" - Aakash Chopra on India's dropped catches in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped three catches in England's first innings. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India need to grab catches to beat a team like England, highlighting that Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was known to be a good fielder, put down a sitter among the catches he dropped.

"England are a good team, and if you have to beat such a team, you have to correct the disciplinary one-percenters. He (Harry Brook) got a reprieve, and then he batted well. We are not grabbing chances at all. Yashasvi Jaiswal generally used to be a good fielder, but one of the catches was absolutely straightforward," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that many catches were dropped off Jasprit Bumrah's bowling, with Rishabh Pant also grassing a difficult offering off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling.

"Bumrah only bowled the no-ball, but how many catches will you drop off Bumrah's bowling? Rishabh Pant also dropped a catch. It was a difficult catch, of course, but the catch should have been taken. Yashasvi Jaiswal started as a good fielder, if you remember the Bangladesh series. He has been a good gully fielder, but he is dropping too many catches," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra noted that it won't work out if the Indian fielders don't grab catches. While acknowledging that the Indian team will go through highs and lows, due to their relative inexperience, he added that they need to do things that are in their control to enjoy more highs.