Author: Akshay Published Date: 26 June 2025
A Manicured Day 5: Nerves, Strategy, Redemption
The final day of the First Test at Headingley was nothing short of epic. With England needing 371 to win—a mammoth chase—they stared at history. Brandon McCullum’s “Bazball” ethos met razor-sharp execution, and the result was a monumental five-wicket victory, marking the 10th-highest successful run chase in Test cricket.
Dawn: Duckett & Crawley Set the Tone
Despite overcast skies and rising pressure, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley took the pitch with intent and control:
- By lunch, they had already steadied the chase at 117 without loss, navigating the new ball immaculately.
- Their partnership blossomed into a dazzling 188-run stand, the second-highest fourth-innings opening partnership for England, with Crawley contributing 65.
This pair’s synergy was the bedrock of a chase teetering between madness and brilliance.
Afternoon Drama: Collapse & Counterpunches
England’s solid footing cracked:
- Crawley fell on 65, bowled by Prasidh Krishna, bringing the game to the fore.
- Within moments, Duckett followed, edging Shardul Thakur before an attempted big shot led to his dismissal on 149, just one short of 150.
- Then came a double blow: Brook dismissed first-ball, followed by England-born hero Ben Stokes (33), again falling to Jadeja’s guile.
Yet even as wickets fell in rapid succession, calm descended as Joe Root (53*) and Jamie Smith (44*) took charge, tallying a composed 71-run partnership
Final Moments & Historic Chase
Lunch gave way to tension, with India’s bowlers—Bumrah, Siraj, and Jadeja—applying pressure balls with intent. Rain threatened, but England held firm:
- With just a few runs needed, Jamie Smith launched two sixes off Jadeja, sealing victory in emphatic style.
- The chase closed dramatically at 373/5 in 82 overs, giving England a 1–0 series lead
Hero of the Day: Ben Duckett
Ben Duckett deservedly claimed the Player of the Match award:
- His 149 in the fourth innings remains the second-highest ever by an English opener in that context—mind-boggling in its audacity and control.
- He anchored the chase and allowed Crawley the freedom to play his parts.
Duckett’s innings epitomized Clarke-meets-Stokes batting technique married to controlled aggression.
Tactical Shifts & Turning Points
| Phase | Turning Moment |
|---|---|
| Opening Session | Duckett–Crawley partnership put England ahead on pace and intent. |
| Post-Fall Wickets | India sensed vulnerability after Stokes’ dismissal. |
| Root–Smith Closure | Steady composure amid collapse—a calm seal to a frenetic chase. |
| Fielding Flaws | India missed catches and DRS opportunities—lost critical moments. |
| Stokes “4D captaincy” | Tactical call exploited Indian errors and ensured calm closure. |
India’s Agony: Five Centuries, No Win
Remarkably, India recorded five centuries across two innings—yet still lost this unprecedented Test:
- While Gill, Jaiswal, Rahul, Pant, and Gill again excelled, the lower-order collapses and missed chances proved fatal.
- Notably, Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped Duckett on 38, a miss that seemed small but loomed large.
- Despite Bumrah’s brilliance, he took no wickets in the chase, putting pressure on the rest of the attack.
Shubman Gill’s captaincy will be scrutinized—given missed reviews and field placements under pressure—not to mention Jaiswal’s post-game celebration that drew criticism.
What This Means for the Series
- England’s morale is sky-high—this was a confidence-boosting start ahead of a summer packed with tests and the Ashes.
- India faces unanswered questions: fielding lapses, captaincy clarity, and bottom-order resilience.
- The pivotal moment of balance will lie in how India responds—whether it regroups in Birmingham or continues to falter under pressure.
A Five-Day Epic for the Ages
Headingley delivered all that Test cricket promises—record partnerships, resilience, drama, rain delays, tactical depth, and a gutsy chase under extreme pressure.
As Michael Vaughan aptly dubbed it, this was “Bazball with brains”—a high-stakes, intelligent test where aggression didn’t compromise technique.