SportsPosted at: Jun 25 2025 12:01AM


England stun India with record chase at Headingley

Leeds, June 24 (UNI) At a venue steeped in history, England wrote another Bazball chapter in bold strokes, pulling off a record fifth successful 300-plus chase at Headingley to beat India by five wickets on a gripping final day. The target was steep—371 runs—but not for this England side that has made defying the fourth-innings logic a habit.
Ben Duckett led the charge with a stunning 149, hammering India’s famed bowling attack with a blend of daring strokes and disarming composure. Zak Crawley set the platform with a gritty 77, while Joe Root, calm as ever, completed the job with an unbeaten fifty, reaffirming his status as England’s crisis anchor. Jamie Smith, on debut, added the final flourish as England cruised home in the 82nd over.
For India, it was deja vu. Just like Edgbaston 2022, where England chased down 378, the ghosts of dropped catches, middle-order meltdowns, and over-reliance on Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja came back to haunt them.
The day had begun under thick Leeds skies, but England’s openers brought sunshine to the dressing room with a flawless stand. At lunch, the scoreboard read 117 without loss, and the India bowlers looked increasingly flat. Duckett, never one to retreat, reverse-swept Jadeja into submission while also punishing anything loose from Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur. Crawley, more restrained, was the ideal foil.
But cricket, like Headingley weather, changes quickly.
Krishna, who had searched in vain for control, finally found his rhythm. In the 41st over, he dismissed Crawley,
who feathered a rising ball into the slips. Relief turned into belief for India. Krishna struck again castled Ollie Pope, and the visitors suddenly sensed an opening.
Rain briefly interrupted the session, but what followed was pure drama. Enter Shardul Thakur.
Thakur, often India’s go-to man in chaos, pounced after the rain break. Duckett, on the brink of a sensational 150, mistimed a drive to cover. Two overs later, Thakur sent Harry Brook caught behind.
From 188 for no loss, England were 253 for 4. At tea, India had clawed their way back. Root was still there, though, and that mattered more than the scoreline of 269 for 4.
Post-tea, the second new ball arrived—and so did another twist. Jadeja removed Stokes with one that gripped and turned. England were 302 for 5, still needing 69. Hopes were briefly rekindled in the Indian camp.
But Root, with ice in his veins, shut the door. He brought up his fifty and found a willing partner in debutant Jamie Smith. The pair added 50 in steady rhythm, riding out Bumrah’s bursts and Thakur’s wide-of-off-stump temptations. The target melted under their control.
By the time England crossed 355, India’s body language told its own story, fatigue, frustration, and resignation. The fielding had been patchy throughout, with key chances missed in both innings. The batting, too, had folded twice under pressure. It wasn’t just defeat, it was a pattern.
Krishna and Thakur’s resurgence offered some promise, but it came too late. Bumrah was tireless, Jadeja worked hard, but the lack of a consistently threatening third seamer and a disciplined fifth bowler was glaring.
As England celebrated, India were left to ponder deeper questions. Can a team aspiring for Test supremacy continue to rely on the same few names? Can they afford to drop sitters and surrender collapses in crunch moments?
For England, Headingley has now become a fortress of final-day miracles - five 300-plus fourth-innings chases, the most at any ground in Test history, surpassing even Durban’s Kingsmead. Under Bazball, they’ve transformed bold targets into chaseable dreams.
This wasn’t just about aggression, it was about intent backed by precision. India had the upper hand midway through Day 5, but England’s belief never wavered. Once again, Bazball proved more than a gimmick. Against India, it’s become a habit.
UNI BDN RN
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