India vs England: Fielding & Poor Catching Remain A Concern For India Despite Sweep Across Formats

India have had a great four to five months in international cricket. From their historic Test series win in Australia to a sweep across formats against England at home – the team has been brilliant unearthing one star after the other with contributions both from their experienced players as well as all the debutants. While India have been exceptional with the bat and in their bowling, there is one area of concern which still remains to be addressed and which almost cost them the ODI series against England. India have ranged between being average to sometimes hopelessly poor in the outfield and that will be a cause of worry ahead of major world tournaments starting October this year.

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India dropped as many as 4 catches alone in the ODI decider alone in Pune on Sunday. Ben Stokes was given a massive reprieve when one of the best fielders in the Indian XI, Hardik Pandya dropped a sitter at mid-off of the bowling of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Stokes was on 15 and went on to score 35.

Hardik was the culprit again when he dropped the dangerous Sam Curran on the boundary with the England total at 218 for 7. The left-hander was on 22 when he was given a second life and almost single-handedly won the match for England remaining unbeaten on a magnificent 95. India’s poor run in the outfield only got worse when Thakur dropped an easy catch of Mark Wood at midwicket in the 49th over and T Natarajan gave Curran a third life letting go off a relatively easy chance at third man off the very next delivery.

India were so poor with their catching that it even got a usually calm and composed Ravi Shastri out of his seat angry and agitated. They were lucky that the bowlers held their nerve at the death to pull off a seven run victory. But if the catching does not improve and the team keeps dropping dollies at crucial junctures in a match then more often than not it will come to bite them – more so in the big matches and knockouts of big tournaments.

India’s fielding and catching has been short of acceptable standards throughout the England series. They have missed a number of run-out chances with bad and inaccurate throws even from a close range. The catching has been abysmal and although there have been a few blinders a number of easy catches have been dropped.

Rishabh Pant had given England opener Rory Burns a reprieve when he was on just one on the opening day of the series opener in Chennai. The left-hander went on to score 33. Ashwin and Pujara gave two chances to the destructive Ben Stokes on Day 2 when he was in his early 30s – he went on to score 82 off just 118 balls and was involved in a defining century stand with Joe Root. Rohit Sharma gave Dom Bess a reprieve when the bowling all-rounder was on 19 – he went on to add 15 more to his total.

To make matters worse for India they squandered an opportunity to run-out Root when the England captain was on 151 – a half decent throw from Sundar and Root would not have had a chance, Instead he went on to register his 5th double hundred.

India were also guilty of indiscipline and bowled as many as 20 no balls in the first innings against England in Chennai thereby equaling their record at home. Had India taken their chances England may not have amassed 578 in the first innings and gained ascendancy in the match. The visitors went on to win the match by 227 runs.

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It took a commendable effort by the batsmen and bowlers to lead India’s fightback and win the series 3-1.

It was a similar story on their tour Down Under. India started on a poor note dropping two massive catches in the first international of the tour – the ODI series opener in Sydney. Dhawan gave Steven Smith a second chance when the Australian great was batting on 38 – he went to register a match-defining 105 off just 66 deliveries. Hardik dropped the dangerous Maxwell on 21 – he scored a cameo 45 off 19 deliveries as Australia amassed 374. There were a number of misfields too.

India had a terrible day on the field in the series opener of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide too. They gave the Mr Consistent of Australia, Marnus Labuschagne two reprieves early in his innings.

India’s exceptional resources in batting and their new found talent in bowling have come to the rescue of the team time and again even when the third aspect of the game – their fielding, catching and general discipline on the field has been poor and well below standards. It has added extra pressure on the batsmen and the bowlers to deliver and make up for the differential.

But for them to be a world beating unit on a consistent basis India need to get their act together in the field too. The batting and bowling cannot make up for the under-par performance of the third discipline all the time.

• Hardik Pandya
• India vs England 2021
• shardul thakur