Image: India did not manage to defeat England / © ESPNcricinfo
One of those days of Test cricket where the game swings like a pendulum, the 1st Test between England and India at Headingley, Leeds, from June 20-24, 2025, delivered a thrilling five-day battle. It ended with England pulling off a stunning five-wicket victory, chasing down India. 371. This match, part of the India tour of England and the ICC World Test Championship, gave us breathtaking performances, dramatic collapses, and a masterclass in aggressive chasing, with Ben Duckett’s match-defining 149 earning him the Player of the Match award.
The match began with England winning the toss and electing to field, a decision that backfired as India piled on 471 in their first innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal set the tone with a gritty 101 off 159 balls, while captain Shubman Gill, in his debut as Test skipper, smashed 147 off 227 balls, becoming the fifth Indian to score a century on captaincy debut. Rishabh Pant’s explosive 134 off 178 balls, laced with 12 fours and six sixes, pushed India to a commanding total. England’s bowlers toiled, but Ben Stokes (4-66) and Josh Tongue (4-86) shared eight wickets to limit the damage.
By the end of Day 1, India were 359/3, with Gill (127) and Pant (65) in control. England’s reply on Day 2 showed their aggressive “Bazball” style, reaching 209/3 by stumps. Ollie Pope led with a stylish 106 off 137 balls, while Ben Duckett’s 62 off 94 laid a solid foundation. Jasprit Bumrah was India’s standout, snaring 3-48, but a no-ball reprieve for Harry Brook (0*) hinted at missed opportunities. Day 3 saw England fight back, with Brook’s 99 off 112 agonizingly short of a century, and contributions from Jamie Smith (40) and Chris Woakes (38) helping them to 465, just six runs shy of India’s total.
Bumrah’s 5-83 was a masterclass, but dropped catches hurt India’s cause. India’s second innings began shakily on Day 3, ending at 90/2 after rain forced early stumps. KL Rahul (47) stood firm, but Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) and Sai Sudharsan (30) fell. Day 4 was a rollercoaster, with Rahul (137 off 247) and Pant (118 off 140, his second ton of the match) forging a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. Pant became the first Asian wicketkeeper to score centuries in both innings of a Test, equalling Andy Flower’s feat. However, from 333/4, India collapsed to 364, losing six wickets for 31 runs. Josh Tongue (3-72) and Brydon Carse (3-80) triggered the slide, setting England a target of 371. By stumps, England were 21/0, with Zak Crawley (12) and Duckett (9*) not out.
Day 5 dawned with England needing 350 runs and India hunting 10 wickets, under grey skies with rain looming. The first session was a masterclass in controlled aggression from England’s openers. Crawley and Duckett blazed to 117/0 by lunch, with Duckett’s 64 off 66 balls (8 fours) and Crawley’s 42 off 111 setting a brisk pace. The pair added 50 runs in 99 balls and 100 in 149, with Duckett reaching his fifty off 66 balls. India’s bowlers, led by Bumrah (0-57), struggled for breakthroughs, and a review for Crawley’s wicket in the 15th over was struck down. England’s run rate of 3.90 kept them ahead, and despite drizzle during the break, play resumed on time.
Post-lunch, England’s charge continued. Duckett raced to 100 off 121 balls (14 fours), and the opening stand reached 150 in 218 balls. By the 41st over, England were 181/0, with Duckett on 105 and Crawley on 59. A brief rain delay didn’t halt their momentum, and they crossed 200 in the 44th over. However, Prasidh Krishna (2-92) struck in the 42nd over, removing Crawley for 65 off 126 balls, caught by Rahul. The 188-run stand ended, but England were still cruising at 188/1. Two overs later, Krishna bowled Ollie Pope for 8, leaving England at 206/2. The game shifted dramatically in the 54th over when Shardul Thakur (2-51) dismissed Duckett for 149, caught by substitute Nitish Kumar Reddy, and trapped Harry Brook for a golden duck next ball.
England stumbled to 253/4, with India sensing a comeback. Duckett’s 149 off 170 balls (21 fours, 1 six) was a game-changer, but his exit, after being dropped on 97 by Jaiswal, gave India hope. At tea, England were 269/4, needing 102 runs, with Joe Root (14) and Ben Stokes (13) at the crease. Rain briefly threatened, but play resumed. The final session saw England regain control. Root (53* off 84, 6 fours) and Stokes (33 off 51) added 49 runs before Ravindra Jadeja (1-104) dismissed Stokes, caught by Gill, in the 67th over, making it 302/5. Jamie Smith (44* off 55, 4 fours, 2 sixes) joined Root, and the pair steered England home with an unbeaten 71-run stand for the sixth wicket.
England reached 350 in the 80th over, with the second new ball taken, and finished at 373/5 in 82 overs, winning with a run rate of 4.54. Root’s calm fifty and Smith’s aggressive cameo sealed the chase, the second-highest by England against India and the third 350-plus chase at Headingley. India’s bowlers fought hard but couldn’t capitalize on early chances. Bumrah bowled 19 overs without a wicket, while Siraj (0-51) and Krishna leaked runs. Jadeja’s solitary wicket and Thakur’s double strike were highlights, but dropped catches, including three by Jaiswal, proved costly.
The pitch, a batting beauty, offered little to spinners, with footmarks providing occasional turn. England’s fielding, sharper than India’s, and their belief in chasing big totals, honed under Stokes and Brendon McCullum, made the difference. The match aggregate of 1673 runs was the highest in England-India Tests, reflecting the batting-friendly conditions. England’s victory gave them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series and 12 WTC points, while India’s collapse and fielding lapses left them ruing missed opportunities. Pant’s twin centuries and Rahul’s 137 were silver linings, but the lower order’s fragility and bowling inconsistencies hurt. England’s “Bazball” philosophy shone, with Duckett’s 149 and Root’s composure proving their attacking mindset could conquer daunting targets.
Being awarded as the TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game, Shardul Thakur’s 55th over on Day 5 of the 1st Test between England and India at Headingley, June 24, 2025, turned the tide dramatically. With England cruising at 253/2, chasing 371, Thakur’s double strike in three balls brought India roaring back. Bowling his fifth over, Thakur, with figures of 5-0-21-2, first dismissed Ben Duckett for a brilliant 149 off 170 balls (21 fours, 1 six). Duckett, trying to muscle a full, wide 128kph delivery, mistimed a drive, lobbing a soft catch to substitute fielder Nitish Kumar Reddy at cover.
The sun peeked out as Duckett walked off to a standing ovation. Next ball, Thakur struck gold again, trapping Harry Brook for a golden duck. A leg-stump half-volley at 132kph saw Brook, moving across, feather a glance to Rishabh Pant, who took a sharp low catch diving left. Thakur’s wide-armed celebration ignited India’s hopes. The over ended with Joe Root surviving a bouncy full-length ball, blocking it cautiously. England, now 256/4, faced pressure with 115 runs still needed, as Thakur’s 3-run over shifted momentum, leaving fans buzzing and India believing in a comeback.
For the Game, Joe Root is TCNI’s Hero of the Day, steering England to a thrilling five-wicket victory in their chase of 371 against India in the 1st Test at Headingley on June 24, 2025. Entering at 206/2 after Ollie Pope’s dismissal in the 45th over, England needed a steady hand with 165 runs still required. Root delivered, silently anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 53 off 84 balls (6 fours, strike rate 63.09). His calm presence was vital after Shardul Thakur’s double strike in the 54th over removed Ben Duckett (149) and Harry Brook (0), leaving England wobbly at 253/4.
Root, alongside Ben Stokes (33), added 49 runs to ease the pressure, and after Stokes fell to Ravindra Jadeja in the 67th over, Root partnered with Jamie Smith (44* off 55) for an unbroken 71-run stand. His composed batting against a probing Indian attack, including Jasprit Bumrah (0-57) and Prasidh Krishna (2-92), ensured England stayed on course. Root’s 50 off 84 balls, reached in the final overs, was a masterclass in Test match grit, guiding England to 373/5 in 82 overs at 4.54 runs per over.