Ben Duckett Dazzling 149 powers england chase down 371 on final day

@Duckett greets the crowd after scoring a century vs India 2025

Matches Summary:

On the last day (June 24, 2025) of the 1 st Test at Headingley, England chased a target of 371 against India to win the match by an amazing margin of five wickets. The hosts created a mixture of toughness, tactics, and individual excellence to win by a small but unforgettable margin. India Powerful Start

Day 1: India dominant batting Day 1:

England unexpectedly chose to bowl after winning the toss. India took full advantage of that- openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) and debut captain Shubman Gill (127*) had put up an impregnable score and ended the day at 359/3. Rishabh Pant slotted in with a carefree 65* Jaiswal hit sixteen fours and a six and managed to overcome his cramps to not just blast past fifty but to turn it into his first century in Test cricket in England It was Gill, making his first ton as an overseas captain, holding down the innings with a bold strokeplay .

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Days 2-4: Middle-Order Resistance

India took the game to days 2-4 with the push. Pant made it to a second century and KL Rahul made a timely contribution of 137 in the second innings

India made 364 in their second innings to give England a towering fourth-innings target of 371 runs, a feat only one team had ever managed on English soil . In spite of the spirited bowling in the second innings- such as stints of Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue- India did not give up, and only towards the end they were pulled back by England.

On the last day, the openers of England, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley provided an outstanding base

Chase: A Gallery of Heroes England

A strong Base

On the last day, the openers of England, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, provided an outstanding base. Classy 149 off 170 balls by Duckett established the mood and Crawley steadied the other end with a controlled fifty. Between them they mounted a 188-run stand that demolished early Indian strategy Siraj and Bumrah were pressured at an early stage. They were unable to crack the first wicket partnership even after a few good spells and England were 117/0 at lunch on Day 5. Mid-Innings Drama:

England carried on after the lunch break. India however retaliated: Prasidh Krishna took two wickets, sending back Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley, to put on he brakes. Ravindra Jadeja picked important wickets as well, he got Ben Stokes out Shardul Thakur then swung the momentum even more as he dismissed two wickets off two balls beating Duckett (149) and clean bowling Harry Brook on a golden duck England was in the calm, nevertheless, despite the drama.By tea, they were 269/4 with 102 runs still to be made in the final session Nervous Last Meeting:

Then in the last match was a cage-match-but England did not lose their nerve. Joe Root (53) and Jamie Smith (26* at close) calmed it down with Stokes. Root was the stabilizing effect, having calm fringes and important singles Smith, a first-time keeper-batsman, toiled, but eventually gave vital back-up. This was interrupted by a short rain, and resumption enabled England to prosecute . England had lost three wickets with the target still diminishing. Root and Smith took them past 340, and then got through India attack swelling intensity.

 The Finish

England appeared to be in control at 355/5 at the end of the evening session requiring only 16 runs. Root reached his half-century and Smith equalled him by crossing the rope when he was needed the most England chased down the run total with five wickets remaining in a tense finish. A record third-highest run-chase on English soil, the successful pursuit of 371 was recorded in history as the second-highest Test run-chase on English soil

Key Performers: Team                  Player                              Contribution India             Shubman Gill                   147,captain ton assisted to create the tone                     Yashasvi Jaiswal      101 magnificent performance despite leg cramps                    Rishabh Pant            134 & 118 and previous century in 2 nd innings

England      Ben Duckett                    149 anchoring overwhelming chase                     Zak Crawley                    Sturdy 50 in difficult circumstances                   Joe Root                            53 in tightly contested finish                  Jamie Smith                   Maintained his composure in his first stint at the                                                                       tail-end of the innings

Turning Points:

Day 1 India superiority: At the end of the day, they thought they had the game at the bag after finishing on 359/3 on the bowling call.

Duckett-Crawley stand: They had almost 200 runs between them and they deflated India early in Day 5 . India strike back: Three wickets in a hurry after drinks, including a double wicket hit by Thakur, gave India a reason to rejoice . Root and Smith composure: England were calm under the pressure in the final session to complete the chase. Tactical Insights:

Toss selection: The decision to bowl first by England was doubted and more so when India dominated the batting performance on the first day. Middle-overs revival in India: The bounce-back of the middle-overs in both innings gave them big partnerships both in batting and bowling that pressurized England. True Test character: England proved they were a tough team by going after a record total with their batting resources and ability to keep head down and grind it out.

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Series Outlook:

England took a vital momentum through this win. A home win through a rare 370+ chase produces a huge psychological advantage. In moving forward in the series, both sides will re-evaluate:

India has to identify new batsmen in form to back Gill and Pant. England will seek to take advantage and this may mean that they review their aggressive toss strategy and bowling combinations. Conclusion:

The 1st Test at Headingley is remembered as having dramatic arcs; India in total control initially, only to see the English come back due to the young blood and old-fashioned Test temperament. A pursuit of 371 secured the triumph and this was one of the excellent home-side Test recaptures in England.

Brief scores: India 471 (Shubman Gill 147, Rishabh Pant 134, Yashasvi Jaiswal

 101; Ben Stokes 4/66, Josh Tongue 4/86) & 364 (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118

; Brydon Carse 3/80, Josh Tongue 3/72) lost to England 465 (Ollie Pope 106, 

Harry Brook 99; Jasprit Bumrah 5/83, Prasidh Krishna 3/128) & 373/5 (Ben Duckett 149

, Zak Crawley 65; Shardul Thakur 2/51, Prasidh Krishna 2/92) by five wickets