IND vs ENG 1st Test Day 5 Highlights: England Clinch Thrilling Victory at Headingley

In one of the most historic Test matches of the current season, England took the lead after defeating India by 5 wickets on the fifth day of the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Chasing a challenging target of 371 runs, Ben Duckett played an innings of 149 runs to turn the match one-sided, while Joe Root remained unbeaten at 53, he held the middle order and gave England a brilliant win.

IND vs ENG 1st Test Highlights: A Match for the Ages

This match had all the elements that make a test match attractive: century, collapses, fight back and momentum.
Despite scoring 835 runs in both innings and taking 5 individual centuries, India failed to build on its lead and failed to achieve the target.

Key Highlights:

• Ben Duckett: 149 off 211 balls (Player of the Match)
• Joe Root: 53* (Match-winning anchor)
• Jamie Smith: 44* (Crucial finishing cameo)
• Shardul Thakur: 3 wickets, including Duckett and Brook in two balls
• Prasidh Krishna: 2 wickets (Pope & Crawley)
• India: Scored 471 & 364, but lost
• England: Scored 465 & 373/5, winning by 5 wickets

IND vs ENG 1st Test: India Set the Stage, But Couldn’t Close

India’s performance was remarkable in patches:

• Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), KL Rahul (137), and Rishabh Pant (134 & 118) all scored big.
• Yet, collapses at crucial stages let England back in: last 6 wickets fell for just 31 runs in the 2nd innings.
• Jasprit Bumrah, who picked a 5-wicket haul in the first innings, remained wicketless in the second.

Fielding lapses and missed catches, particularly off Bumrah, proved costly.

The Chase: Duckett and Crawley Set the Tone

England began Day 5 at 21/0, and the opening stand between Ben Duckett (149) and Zak Crawley (65) reached 188. Duckett’s confidence against Bumrah and Jadeja on a Day 5 pitch was extraordinary.

Turning Points:

• Prasidh Krishna broke the opening partnership.
• Shardul Thakur got back-to-back wickets of Duckett and Harry Brook, reviving India’s hopes.
• Jadeja removed Ben Stokes but Root and Smith stayed calm to finish things off.

Root and Smith: Calmness Under Pressure

In the last phase Joe Root (53)* and Smith (44)* showed their attractive batting. Smith took a chance on Jadeja’s ball and played aggressive batting and registered a victory while chasing the target.

Post-Match Quotes

Ben Stokes (ENG Captain):

“We turned up with the belief that we could win. Duckett’s innings and Root’s calmness were crucial. Josh Tongue’s spells also turned the game.”

Shubman Gill (IND Captain):

“We had our chances but let the game slip. Fielding cost us. Bumrah bowled well but didn’t get support. We need to bounce back in the next one.”

Ben Duckett (Player of the Match):

“Incredible game. We handled Bumrah early and stayed calm. Credit to our bowling unit for keeping the chase manageable.”

Statistical Highlights

• England’s 371 chase is their 2nd highest successful chase ever.
• India’s total of 835 in defeat is one of the highest ever for a losing team.
• Five centuries in a match but still lost – a rare and unwanted record for India.
  

  What Went Wrong for India?

  • Lower order failure: Last 6 wickets in 2nd innings added just 31.
  • Dropped catches: Key moments missed, especially off Bumrah.
  • Bumrah’s 0 wickets in the second innings despite multiple close calls.
  • Overdependence on top-order batters without tail support.

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  What’s Next?

  Now both teams will go to play the second test. India will have to reconsider its lost chances and improve the problems of fielding and bowling support. England will return with tremendous confidence with a 1-0 lead in the 5 match test series.
  Conclusion:
  This test will always be remembered for its intensity, quality and drama. From India’s dominance to England’s brilliant win, Headingley provided another brilliant test match. Both teams played brilliant cricket, but England exploited the important factors and won.