Duckett’s Heroic 149 Anchors England’s Record 371-Run Chase to Stun India at Headingley
This defeat marks a painful milestone for India, who became the first team in 148 years of Test cricket to lose after scoring five centuries in a match.
Ben Duckett produced a masterclass under pressure, scoring a sensational 149 as England pulled off a record-breaking run chase to defeat India by five wickets on the final day of the first Test at Headingley.
Chasing a daunting target of 371, England completed their second-highest successful run chase in Test history, surpassed only by their 378-run pursuit against India at Edgbaston in 2022.
Duckett, who was named Player of the Match, anchored the innings with a fearless 149 off 170 balls, forming a commanding 188-run opening partnership with Zak Crawley (65). Their stand laid the foundation for England’s charge, putting India’s bowlers on the back foot from the outset.
Despite a flurry of wickets after tea — including Duckett and Harry Brook falling to consecutive deliveries from Shardul Thakur — England held their nerve. With 118 still needed and four wickets down, Joe Root (53*), the local hero, and debutant Jamie Smith (44*) steadied the ship.
Root’s calmness under pressure and Smith’s composure ensured there were no further alarms. Smith fittingly sealed the victory with a six, sparking jubilant celebrations in the Headingley stands.
India, who posted 471 and 373 in their two innings, thanks to centuries from Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, looked in control for large parts of the match. However, their bowlers struggled to break England’s resolve on the final day, and dropped catches — at least five over the course of the match — proved costly, as noted by former pacer Munaf Patel.
This defeat marks a painful milestone for India, who became the first team in 148 years of Test cricket to lose after scoring five centuries in a match. For England, the win gives them a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, with the next Test set to begin at Edgbaston on July 2.
Duckett’s aggregate of 211 runs in the match (62 in the first innings, 149 in the second) has set the tone for the series, and his name now stands alongside Headingley legends such as Ian Botham and Ben Stokes.
As England’s aggressive approach continues to pay dividends, India will be left to rue missed opportunities and regroup for the next encounter.
Score Summary:
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India: 471 & 373
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England: 465 & 373/5 (Duckett 149, Crawley 65, Root 53*, Smith 44*)
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England won by 5 wickets; lead series 1-0
