- Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett gave England initiative with 188-run opening stand
- Joe Root’s 53 from 84 balls helped hosts over the line with an hour left to play
- India will be left to rue a missed opportunity after leading for most of the Test
A monster opening stand by Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett helped power England to a historic five-wicket victory over India in the first Test at Headingley.
After Crawley and Duckett survived a 30-minute examination from Jasprit Bumrah to reach 21 for 0 at stumps on day four, England came into the final day needing 350 to take a 1-0 series lead.
The pair remained unbeaten until the 42nd over when Crawley was caught behind by KL Rahul from Prasidh Krishna’s delivery.
Duckett was eventually dismissed for 149, by which time Joe Root had joined him at the crease after Ollie Pope fell for eight. And it was the world’s No 1 batsman that helped finished the job for the hosts.
Root reached another half century, while Jamie Smith had the honour of hitting the winning runs as he finished on 44. England’s stunning Leeds chase is the second-highest in their history.
England returned from lunch in a confident mood before India pacer Krishna brought the hosts back down to earth with back-to-back wickets.
Krishna removed Crawley and Pope to reduce England to 206-2. Requiring 188, Shardul Thakur took the prize wicket of Duckett, who broke the record for the highest runs against India in the fourth innings of a Test match.
Thakur then dismissed Harry Brook with his first ball as England made it to tea on 269 for 4, needing 102 more runs to clinch victory.
Root and Smith’s stand would ultimately see Stokes’ men chase down another mammoth tally at Headingley.
For India, Krishna and Thakur claimed two wickets each while Ravindra Jadeja picked up one wicket.
More to follow.
