In numbers: How much has India’s slip fielding fallen from Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin’s era

There was a time in Indian cricket when the slip cordon was a fortress, guarded by the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman. (AFP/File Photo)

The dawn of a new era didn’t unfold the way Team India had envisioned, as they stumbled to a defeat in the opening Test at Leeds. A major contributor to India’s loss was their lacklustre fielding — a frustrating sight, especially for a side long regarded as one of the world’s top fielding teams. India has built a reputation as one of the finest fielding units in world cricket, particularly in the slips and gully. Since 2023, they’ve recorded the highest catching efficiency in those positions (80.6%), ahead of New Zealand (78.5%) and Sri Lanka (78.3%).

But in Leeds, the youthful Indian side faltered, putting down eight chances and allowing England to capitalise. According to CricViz, which has tracked fielding data since 2006, it was the third-highest number of dropped catches by India in a single Test. Their overall catch success rate in the match was just 52.9 percent — the eighth-lowest for India in Tests with recorded fielding data.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was involved in four of the eight missed opportunities — three in the slips and one in the outfield. Ravindra Jadeja, too, put down a catch in the slip cordon. India’s revamped slip setup lacked sharpness and cohesion, and those missed chances proved costly. In a match that went down to the final session, those small moments ultimately made the difference.

There was a time in Indian cricket when the slip cordon was a fortress, guarded by the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and VVS Laxman.

Later, Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli also upheld that legacy with sharp reflexes and safe hands. Over the years, India has been fortunate to have some outstanding slip fielders — but one name stands above the rest: Rahul Dravid.

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Fielding in the slips is a specialised skill, and legends like Clive Lloyd, Bob Simpson, and Mark Waugh set high benchmarks. Among Indian cricketers, former captain Anil Kumble believes Dravid was the best in that position. Dravid’s tally of 210 catches in Test cricket is the second-highest overall, and the most by any Indian.

While others like Azharuddin, Laxman, Tendulkar, Kohli, and Rahane were all dependable, Dravid made the first slip his own. He was especially effective when spinners were in operation. His soft hands, unwavering concentration, and calm presence made him the ideal partner for bowlers — particularly Kumble, who accounted for 55 of Dravid’s 210 catches.

Former India coach John Wright, in a conversation with ESPNCricinfo, once recalled the impact Dravid had when he took over the team: “When I took charge of India as coach in 2000, we dropped three or four catches in the slips during my first Test. It was like Piccadilly Circus — people were coming and going. But Rahul (Dravid) was a specialist, and his catching at first slip was one of the main reasons our results started to improve, particularly overseas.”

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Azharuddin was another standout, known for his agility and sharp reflexes — whether in the inner ring, on the boundary, or in the slips. His anticipation of the ball and swift movement made him a true all-round fielder.

With today’s advancements in video analysis, the current generation of Indian cricketers has the opportunity to study footage of legends like Dravid and Azharuddin to refine their slip fielding and carry forward a proud tradition.