England held their nerve to defeat India by five wickets in a tense finish to the first Test at Headingley on Tuesday. Chasing 371, the hosts completed the second-highest successful run chase in their Test history to take a 1–0 lead in the five-match series.
Ben Duckett led the charge with a commanding 149, supported by Zak Crawley’s 65 and a composed finish by Joe Root. The pair of Root and captain Ben Stokes saw England home after a few late stumbles that had briefly opened a door for India. India had fought back in the second session on day five. Shardul Thakur took two wickets in two deliveries to dismiss Duckett and Harry Brook. Prasidh Krishna earlier removed Crawley and Ollie Pope, reducing England to 269 for 4 at tea.
England had resumed the final day on 21 without loss. Duckett and Crawley put on a 188-run opening stand, the second highest for England in a fourth innings. Duckett reached his sixth Test hundred before falling to Thakur. Brook departed for a golden duck, edging to Rishabh Pant. With pressure mounting, Root and Stokes steadied the chase, guiding England to victory in the final session.
Shubman Gill captained India for the first time in Tests. His side showed fight, but England’s solid top order and calm finish proved decisive.
