England’s Ben Duckett celebrates his century, Headingley Cricket Floor, Leeds, Britain, June 24, 2025. — Reuters
LEEDS: An excellent century from Ben Duckett helped steer England to a sensational five-wicket win within the first Take a look at towards India after an exciting day 5 on Tuesday, the hosts reaching a goal of 371 — the tenth highest profitable run chase in Take a look at historical past.
Having turned the match on its head at Headingley after India had been 430-3 of their first innings, England gave the impression to be cruising to a dramatic win as openers Duckett and Zak Crawley eased their facet to lunch on 117-0 of their second innings.
Duckett continued his imperious type with one other 4 via the covers to succeed in his sixth Take a look at hundred, earlier than Crawley fell for 65, their 188-run partnership the second highest England opening fourth-innings stand in Exams.
Two wickets in two balls — Duckett and Harry Brook — dragged India again into the enthralling contest and when Ben Stokes fell for 33 trying an formidable reverse sweep, England’s hopes of victory lay precariously within the stability.
Joe Root’s unbeaten 53 calmed the nerves round his house floor, with the previous skipper and Jamie Smith, who hit a six to seal victory, seeing England house as India, having scored 5 centuries within the match, by some means contrived to begin the 5 Take a look at collection in defeat.
“Incredible, what a Test match. It was a huge number of runs and we have been lucky with the weather,” Duckett stated. “I am lost for words.
“We solely had to have a look at the scoreboard to know that if we batted the overs, we might win the sport. There have been moments after I considered getting into one other gear however the breaks within the recreation helped us to remain calm.
“To start this series with a 1-0 win is huge for us. It felt calm in the dressing room. To have Root out there, it’s pretty easy to be calm.”
Resuming day 5 on 21-0, uncharacteristically for a staff famend for his or her ultra-aggressive batting, Crawley and Duckett took 99 balls to deliver up their 50 partnership — the longest it has taken the pair to take action for England — earlier than upping the ante.
There was slight concern for England when first-innings centurion Ollie Pope rapidly adopted Crawley again to the pavilion halfway via the afternoon session, the quantity three changing into Prasidh Krishna’s subsequent sufferer in back-to-back overs.
Duckett continued to build up runs rapidly, nevertheless, earlier than trying one huge shot too many to fall to Shardul Thakur for 149 — the second-highest Take a look at fourth-innings rating by an English opener.
The contribution of Duckett, in such a pressurised state of affairs, can’t be underestimated — it’s 15 years since an England opener final scored a fourth-innings hundred: Alastair Cook dinner at Mirpur in 2010.
Nerves set in across the floor when Brook departed for a golden duck, two in two balls for Thakur, with additional scares forthcoming as England regarded edgy.
Stokes was left shaking his head on the method he fell to Ravindra Jadeja shortly after tea, however Root and Smith each dug in, stopped providing up probabilities and received the runs required, with Smith rounding off a exceptional victory in fashion.
Loads of dropped catches and two batting collapses in the end value India. From 430-3 within the first innings, they misplaced their ultimate seven wickets for simply 41 runs, with the tail crumbling once more within the second innings, 31 runs collected for the autumn of the ultimate six wickets.
It’s the first time in historical past a staff has managed 5 centuries in a single Take a look at and never emerged victorious, but additionally the primary time these 5 centurions have been joined by six batsmen who fell for geese – three in every innings – in the identical match.
“We had our chances,” India captain Shubman Gill stated. “A few dropped catches and the lower order not contributing as much as we would like (cost us) but I am proud. Our young team is learning.
“It simply did not go our method on this match. We’ve got to rectify (the batting collapses) within the upcoming matches.”
For England, initially of a vital interval with the Ashes to come back later this yr, their summer season couldn’t have gotten off to a extra promising begin, with their aggressive method, even when it has been toned down and refined, reaching their second highest run chase of their Take a look at historical past.
