Leeds [UK], June 23 : When Team India takes to the field to defend a total of 371 runs, they will have a massive task in hand to deal with a 'Bazball' powered England, despite having a fine record while defending scores of 350 or more.
Skipper Shubman Gill will have a total to defend in his first outing as a captain, as centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal, himself, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, a total of five across both innings, gave Team India a fine cushion despite lower-middle-order failure. But a crucial task will be handling the explosive openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, rising star Harry Brook and ever-consistent Joe Root, who all have treated these run chases very well under the Stokes-McCullum era.
While defending totals of 350 or more in Test cricket in 59 matches, India has won 42, losing just once and drawing 16 times. That one loss came against England itself, freshly powered by Stokes-McCullum's attacking brand of cricket, at Edgbaston back in 2022. Chasing 378 runs, they made an absolute meal out of Indian bowlers, with Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow slamming centuries.
Coming to the ongoing Leeds Test, in pursuit of a 371-run target, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett ensured England walked out of day four unscathed to set up the final day of the opening Test perfectly against India at Headingley.
England ended Day 4 with 21/0 in six overs, with the opening pair Crawley and Duckett unbeaten with scores of 12(25) and 9(11), respectively. Crawley and Duckett ensured England walked out unscathed, setting up an enthralling final day of the series opener, leaving them 350 runs shy of victory.
In reply to 371, Crawley and Duckett focused on preserving their wicket and didn't engage in a shot that threatened a wicket loss. Crawley creamed Mohammed Siraj for back-to-back boundaries, which allowed England to finish on a high and stay in the race towards a remarkable victory.
Before England came out to bat in the final session, India's long-standing Achilles heel was again exposed by England's pace attack, which was bereft of experience. From 349/6 to 364, the tourists' bottom end was cleaned up in five overs. The collapse began with Brydon Carse rattling the timber to send KL Rahul back to the dressing room on 137(247).
The Headingley crowd stood on its feet and applauded Rahul's masterclass. In the next over, Karun Nair dispatched the ball back to Chris Woakes's hands, marking the opening of the floodgates. Josh Tongue punched Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj's return ticket on successive deliveries. Jasprit Bumrah denied Tongue a hat-trick, but the 27-year-old had the last laugh and rattled timber on the next delivery.
Ravindra Jadeja waited for the opportunity and embraced it in the 95th over. He heaved the ball powerfully past the leg-side boundary rope for a maximum. He pulled the ball away on the next delivery and creamed Tongue for a four to add valuable runs.
India's last resistance eventually gave in after Prasidh Krishna, responsible for holding one end, gave in to his attacking instincts and tried to take on England's sole frontline spinner, Shoaib Bashir. He swiped the ball across the line but failed to get the desired distance. Tongue sprinted and got hold of the ball to conclude India's innings on 364.
The batting calamity of India resonated in the difference between the top five batters and the bottom six. India's first half was the prime weapon with the bat and accumulated 721 runs, courtesy of five centuries. At the same time, the rest could only muster 65 runs and added to India's agony.
Before an enthralling final session, at Tea, India were 298/4, with KL Rahul (120*) and Karun Nair (4*) unbeaten. Pant scored 118 runs in the second innings, his second ton in the match, and consolidated the innings with a crucial 195-run partnership with KL Rahul.
India started the second session at 153/3, with Pant (31*) and KL (72*) unbeaten. The duo launched a brilliant counter-attack against English bowling, taking them to their respective centuries, with Pant dismissed for 118 in 140 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes.
India ended the first session at 153/3, with vice-captain Rishabh Pant (31*) and KL Rahul (72*) unbeaten.
Despite Carse striking early, removing Shubman for just eight and sinking India to 92/3, Team India managed to give themselves a solid platform to go all guns out blazing for the remainder of the match, but not without giving England some chances.
The final session on day three was cut short due to rain. Rahul was joined by skipper Shubman Gill, who was unbeaten on 6*. India ended at 90/2.
Brief Scores: India: 471 and 364 (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118, Brydon Carse 2/62) vs England 21/0 (Zak Crawley 12*, Ben Duckett 9*).
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