This was England\u2019s second-highest successful run chase in Test history and the second-highest ever against India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The chase was built on a rock-solid platform provided by openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, who added 188 for the first wicket. Duckett led the way with a sublime 149 off just 170 balls, mixing composure with calculated aggression. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Crawley was fluent for his 65 before falling, but the damage was done. Even though Shardul Thakur brought India back into the game for a brief period with two wickets in two balls\u2014removing Duckett and Harry Brook\u2014it was England\u2019s calm middle-order that ensured the momentum wasn\u2019t lost. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Joe Root, playing in front of his home crowd, remained unbeaten on 53, while debutant Jamie Smith showed maturity beyond his years with an unbeaten 44. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Their unbroken 71-run stand took England past the target, with Smith slog-sweeping Ravindra Jadeja for six to seal the match in style.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India, despite holding the upper hand at several key moments, will rue their missed chances. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
They had the match in their control on more than one occasion but allowed England back in repeatedly through collapses and sloppy fielding. After losing the toss, India posted a massive 471 in the first innings, thanks to hundreds from Shubman Gill (147), Rishabh Pant (134), and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101). <\/p>\r\n\r\n
At 430\/3 in the first innings, a total beyond 550 looked inevitable, but a dramatic collapse saw them lose their last seven wickets for just 41 runs\u2014an opening England were quick to exploit.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England\u2019s response was equally resolute. Duckett (62), Ollie Pope (106), and Harry Brook (99) kept them in the contest. Brook, dropped multiple times during his innings, rode his luck but ensured England stayed in touch. India had England at 276\/5 at one stage, but the lower order staged a counter-attack, adding 189 runs for the final five wickets. England ended just six runs behind, reducing the match to a one-innings shootout.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the second innings, KL Rahul\u2019s patient 137 and another brilliant century from Rishabh Pant (118) gave India a golden opportunity to bat England out of the contest. The pair added 195 for the fifth wicket, and at 333\/4, India were firmly on top. But once again, they fell away alarmingly, collapsing to 364 all out, losing six wickets for just 31 runs as England's seamers, especially Josh Tongue and Stokes, cashed in with the second new ball. This recurring inability to finish strong was a theme throughout the match for India.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England\u2019s chase of 371 was historic on multiple counts. It is now the second-highest successful chase on the final scheduled day of a Test match, only behind Australia\u2019s 404 at the same venue in 1948. It also made Headingley the only ground in the world to witness three successful fourth-innings chases of more than 350, underlining its status as a venue of epic finishes. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Remarkably, this match also became only the third instance in Test history where all four innings saw scores of 350 or more.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India\u2019s fielding, however, left a lot to be desired. Dropped catches, misfields, and poor decision-making on the ground allowed England breathing room. Bumrah, the leader of the attack, went wicketless in the second innings, while Prasidh Krishna proved expensive throughout, registering an economy rate of 6.28 in the first innings\u2014the worst by an Indian Test bowler who has bowled 20 or more overs. Thakur bowled in inspired spells but lacked support at the other end.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the end, it was Joe Root\u2019s calmness and Jamie Smith\u2019s confidence that carried England home. The roar at Headingley as Root reached his 66th Test fifty\u2014matching the number on his shirt\u2014was only matched by the final cheers when Smith slog-swept the winning runs. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Brief scores: <\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the end, it was Joe Root\u2019s calmness and Jamie Smith\u2019s confidence that carried England home. The roar at Headingley as Root reached his 66th Test fifty\u2014matching the number on his shirt\u2014was only matched by the final cheers when Smith slog-swept the winning runs. <\/p>\r\n\r\n
Also Read: <\/b> LIVE Cricket Score<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n