'Can’t drop those in Tests’: Brook picks key factor in England’s Headingley win

England batter Harry Brook pointed out India’s fielding lapses & England’s ability to clean up the tail for turning the game;

By :  Abdul Gani
Update: 2025-07-01 06:15 GMT
Can’t drop those in Tests’: Brook picks key factor in England’s Headingley win

A file image of England batter Harry Brook. (Photo:X)

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Guwahati, July 1: Despite five Indian centuries, England sealed a five-wicket victory in the Headingley Test — capitalising on dropped catches and late-order collapses in both innings.

England batter Harry Brook, reflecting on the match, pointed out India’s fielding lapses and England’s ability to clean up the tail for turning the game.

“It’s the old phrase — ‘catches win matches’,” Brook said, during a Zoom conversation with The Assam Tribune and a few other media houses, on Monday.

“You could probably say so, yeah. We dropped a couple as well. And yeah, it’s just about taking those pressure catches in pressure situations and trying to change the game. But yeah, obviously, dropping catches helps the opposition,” he added.

India dropped 10 catches — their most in a men’s Test since 2011 — with Yashasvi Jaiswal alone missing four. One of those proved costly, as Brook, dropped on 83, went on to score 99. Brook pointed to India’s inability to consolidate their strong batting starts.

“I think that the way that we cleaned up the tail in both innings. In the first innings, we bowled them out seven for 30 runs or seven for 40 runs after an amazing innings, and then similar again in the second innings — I think it was six for 40 runs. So, I think the way that we cleaned up the tail there or the middle to lower and tail order… umm, made a massive difference to that game,” he said.

India were 430 for 3 in the first innings but folded for 471 — losing 7 wickets for 41 runs. The second innings followed a similar pattern, sliding from 333 for 4 to 364 all out, losing 6 wickets for 31.

Despite the collapses, Brook praised India’s top-order batting. “All of the top five (4 players hit 5 hundred) got a hundred last week. So, I think as an Indian fan, you’ve got to be pretty pleased with that,” he said.

“But like I said, we managed to mop the late middle order and tail up fairly quickly, which is a nice sign for us going forward in this series, really. Hopefully we can do that again a few more times,” he continued.

He, however, acknowledged India’s depth in batting. “It’s easier said than done, but yeah — the players that India have at the top of the order and obviously in the middle - with (Rishabh) Pant and Shubman Gill — yeah, it’s a force to be reckoned with,” he said.

On facing India’s pace spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, Brook said, “I felt like I faced him all right. Yeah, he’s obviously a good bowler, but we don’t know if he’s playing yet. So, he’s obviously a good bowler and I’ll try and play him as respectfully as I can.”

Looking ahead to the second Test at Edgbaston, Brook expects a more traditional English wicket.

“Historically Birmingham can be a bit flatter. It can probably have a little bit more in it for the spin, but it’s generally an English wicket. It does a little bit with the new ball and then it gets better throughout,” he said.

“Well, I’m completely guessing. I don’t know my wickets that well. But, if there’s any spin, then it’ll probably be towards the back end of the game — late in Day 3, 4, 5,” he informed.

Brook also addressed his IPL absence, having pulled out of the 2024 and 2025 editions — the latter resulting in a two-year BCCI ban.

“I thought the best decision for my cricket, my physical being, and my mental being was to probably pull out of that and try and have that time off to rejuvenate and get ready for international cricket, which is where my head’s at.” He said.

Calling the IPL “the best tournament in the franchise world”, he said he hoped to return in the future. “So, yeah, I’d love to play again in the future. But for the time being, I think I want to concentrate as much as I can on England cricket and playing as many games as I can for England,” he said.

(2nd Test between India and England starts on July 2; 3:30 pm, IST)

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