England secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over India

🎭 Test Drama at Headingley

A breathtaking finale unfolded at Headingley as England secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over India, chasing 371 with 14 overs to spare—marking the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history.

📌 Highlights & Key Moments

• Ben Duckett starred with a magnificent 149‑run innings, supported by Zak Crawley’s 65, combining for a powerful opening stand of 188.

• Joe Root (53) and Jamie Smith (44)* held their nerve in the tense final session to see England home.

• English captain Ben Stokes praised his side’s “effective approach and calm demeanor,” crediting this mindset for the chase’s success.

• 🎯 India’s Performance

• India dominated early, posting 471 in the first innings (with three centuries including Rishabh Pant’s second ton), then 364 in the second innings, setting a solid target.

• However, a lack of sustained support for Jasprit Bumrah and Jadeja allowed England’s top order to settle and power through.

• KL Rahul and coach Gautam Gambhir emphasised team unity in the aftermath, urging focus on collective responsibility rather than individual blame.

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🧭 What This Means for the Series

• England lead the series 1–0, gaining crucial momentum before the second Test at Edgbaston (July 2–6).

• India’s Shubman Gill’s captaincy began strongly with his century, but this loss exposes areas needing improvement, especially the lower-order resilience .

• Headingley’s roller‑coaster finish sets expectations for an intense, high‑stakes series to follow.

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🧾 Player of the Match

Ben Duckett was named Player of the Match, anchoring England’s chase with exemplary technique and temperament.

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🏏 What’s Next?

• 2nd Test: July 2–6 at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

• 3rd Test: July 10–14 at Lord’s, London.

• 4th: July 23–27 at Old Trafford, Manchester.

• 5th: July 31–August 4 at The Oval, London.

 

https://clevercurrents.com/complete-ceasefire/