For a team that lifted the T20 World Cup 2026 just months ago, catching should have been the least of the problems. But that isn’t the case for the India cricket team, who have lost two back-to-back series. The phase catches win matches absolutely true. And it proved to be the case yet again on Saturday in the ENG vs IND 5th T20I as Jos Buttler made the most of Shivam Dube’s failed effort to pile misery on the visitors.
Fielding, especially catching, has been a major concern for Team India since the T20 WC. In just the series against England alone, the Men in Blue have dropped 5 catches. Against Ireland, the team dropped a whooping 6 catches across 2 games. Such is the miserable fielding efforts put in by the Men in Blue in the last two series that they are now only behind Bangladesh and Ireland among the teams with the worst catching efficiency since the T20 World Cup 2026 (among full member nations).
India’s catching concerns
Since the start of the T20 World Cup, India have had a catch efficiency of just 72.1%.
- T20 World Cup 2026
Let’s start with the marquee event. Suryakumar Yadav and co. dropped 13 catches en route to securing their third trophy and finished the tournament with an efficiency of 71.7%. Well, one would have thought the two-month break in between would have rejuvenated the Indian stars and help them come back stronger in terms of fielding in international cricket. That turned out to be the exact opposite.
- IRE vs IND 1st T20I
In the 1st T20I against IRE where India were defeated by 34 runs, three catches were put down – one each by Shivam Dube, Abhishek Sharma and Washington Sundar. Lorcan Tucker, who was dropped by Sundar, went on to score a half-century. Regardless, two out of the three catches that were dropped were absolute sitters.
- IRE vs IND 2nd T20I
Three catches were dropped in the IRE vs IND 2nd T20I as well. Harshit Rana was the first to do so. A horrible mix-up with Ishan Kishan near the third man region led to Rana dropping what would have been an easy catch. Next, Prince Yadav dropped Harry Tector while attempting to take a return catch. The final nail in the coffin came from Arshdeep Singh who dropped Harry Tector (second lifeline to the batter) in the 11th over as he attempted to take a catch near long-off but failed.
- ENG vs IND T20I series
While India did not bowl (much to their delight in terms of fielding) in the 1st T20I, poor catching returned to haunt them in the 2nd match. Axar Patel (in the 3rd over) managed to take a catch off Harry Brook’s willow near the boundary ropes, and attempted to throw it back into the field after falling over the boundary ropes. However, the ball landed on the cushion. Therefore, another dropped catch was added to India’s tally, making it the first of the series. Brook went on to score 39 runs.
In the ENG vs IND 3rd T20I, Sam Curran – who scored an unbeaten 41-run knock in the game – was dropped in the penultimate over. Harshit Rana was the man who dropped a catch once again, this time at deep square despite managing to get both his hands underneath the ball.
Three catches were dropped in the ENG vs IND 5th T20I. The one which hurt the most was the very first one. Brook was just on 3 runs when Shivam Dube dropped an absolute sitter in the 6th over. The England batter went on to score an unbeaten 95-run knock and stitched together a record 233-run stand for the 2nd wicket. Buttler was dropped by Shedge in the 16th over while Brook was once again dropped by Ishan Kishan in the final over.
| Match | Catches dropped |
| T20 World Cup 2026 | 13 |
| 1st T20I vs IRE | 3 |
| 2nd T20I vs IRE | 3 |
| 2nd T20I vs ENG | 1 |
| 3rd T20I vs ENG | 1 |
| 5th T20I vs ENG | 3 |
What is the solution?
Well for starters, the BCCI might finally decide to part ways with fielding coach T Dileep. After all, his tenure has seen multiple extensions. While it has yielded some good results in the past, the quality of catching has simply deteriorated in 2026. It will be wise for the board to find someone new who can perhaps take a different route to ensure the catching efficiency improves.
But the hard work has to be undoubtedly put in by the Men in Blue. Experienced campaigners dropping sitters, espeically in the shortest format of the game, is simply unacceptable.
Cricket
India's catching crisis: 24 drops since T20 World Cup, 13 vs IRE & ENG at a miserable efficiency of 72.1%
