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Ben Duckett Leads England to Historic Victory Over India in Epic Headingley Chase
England Stun India with 371-Run Chase to Take 1-0 Series Lead
Leeds, Headingley – England pulled off one of their most memorable Test victories, chasing down 371 runs on the final day to beat India by five wickets in the first Test of the 2025 series. This marks their second-highest successful run chase in Test history, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Ben Duckett was the architect of this epic run chase, scoring a fluent 149, supported ably by Zak Crawley (65) and later by Joe Root (53*) and Jamie Smith (44*), who stitched an unbeaten 71-run partnership to guide England to the finish line.
Duckett and Crawley Build a Rock-Solid Foundation
Openers Set the Tone Against Indian Pace Attack
England began the day cautiously, with Duckett and Crawley showing resilience against a probing Indian pace attack of Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj. Prasidh focused on a fifth-stump line, full in length, tempting Duckett to drive, but the left-hander was watchful.
Post the drinks break, England began shifting gears. Duckett capitalized on Prasidh’s short balls while Crawley played graceful cover drives, especially against Shardul Thakur, whose line and length were inconsistent. The openers brought up the 100-run partnership just before lunch, setting the stage for a historic run chase.
Middle Session: Rain Interrupts, But India Finds Hope
Duckett Reaches Century, But Prasidh Strikes Back
England scored 152 runs in an extended second session due to a rain delay but lost four wickets in the process. Crawley reached his fifty with some crisp on-drives against Bumrah. Duckett moved swiftly to the 90s with successive reverse-sweeps off Ravindra Jadeja.
However, nerves crept in when Duckett miscued a pull shot off Siraj, only for Yashasvi Jaiswal to drop his fourth catch of the match. Duckett went on to complete his sixth Test century, and England appeared well on track.
After the break, Prasidh Krishna brought India back into the game. He dismissed Crawley and bowled Ollie Pope in quick succession. Duckett was eventually caught at cover for 149 off Thakur, and Harry Brook was dismissed on the very next ball down the leg side, giving India a flicker of hope.
📘 Related Article: Top 5 Test Chases by England You Must Know
Root and Smith Hold Nerve in Final Session
Reverse-Sweeps, Missed Review, and a Clinical Finish
As England closed in on the target, Ben Stokes played his trademark aggressive game, including risky reverse-sweeps off Jadeja. A mistimed glove shot landed safely between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, but his luck ran out when he reverse-swept straight to Shubman Gill at short third man.
India burned their final DRS review trying to dismiss Root, only for ball-tracking to show the ball missing the stumps. Root, playing classic cricket, pierced gaps with cover drives and flicks, while Jamie Smith, on debut, looked mature with fluent punches and drives.
Smith sealed the match with a four and two sixes off Jadeja, bringing the chase to a thrilling end and sparking celebrations in the England camp.
Indian Batting Firepower Goes in Vain
India’s top order performed admirably, with Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134 & 118), Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), and KL Rahul (137) all notching centuries across the two innings. However, dropped catches, review errors, and inconsistent bowling during crucial periods derailed their hopes.
Bumrah led the bowling effort with 5/83 in the first innings, while Prasidh Krishna impressed with his fuller lengths and figures of 2/92 in the second innings.
Match Summary: England vs India – 1st Test, Headingley 2025
India 1st Innings: 471 (Gill 147, Pant 134, Jaiswal 101; Stokes 4/66, Tongue 4/86)
England 1st Innings: 465 (Pope 106, Brook 99; Bumrah 5/83, Prasidh 3/128)
India 2nd Innings: 364 (Rahul 137, Pant 118; Carse 3/80, Tongue 3/72)
England 2nd Innings: 373/5 (Duckett 149, Crawley 65; Thakur 2/51, Prasidh 2/92)
Result: England won by 5 wickets
Series: England lead 1-0
England’s triumph at Headingley exemplifies their modern approach to Test cricket — aggressive, fearless, and tactically sound. While India had their moments, lapses in fielding and inability to sustain pressure with the ball made the difference. With the series heating up, all eyes now move to the second Test.
🔗 Full Match Scorecard: England vs India 1st Test, 2025 – Stats and Highlights | ESPNcricinfo
