INDIA TOUR OF ENGLAND, 2025
Shardul dismissed Duckett and Brook in successive deliveries. © Getty
Ben Duckett’s 149 took England closer to the mammoth 371-run target but India fought back through Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur. The duo picked a brace each in the extended post-Lunch session, keeping the Test in the balance heading into the final session on Day 5. England scored 152 runs in this session but lost four wickets, requiring another 102 runs to clinch victory.
Play resumed after Lunch amidst a persistent drizzle and the Indian seamers were led by Mohammed Siraj who found some seam movement early on. He bowled two consecutive jaffas to Zak Crawley, the first beating him with inward movement while the second seamed away. Duckett and Crawley withstood the initial storm and each played elegant on-drives off Jasprit Bumrah to get the runs flowing yet again. Crawley brought up his 50 soon before Duckett fortuitously edged one for four through the vacant gap between the ‘keeper and first slip, which took England to 150.
Duckett raced to 94 with successive reverse-sweeps off Jadeja but the nervous nineties almost consumed him in the next over. He couldn’t control a pull off Siraj but Yashasvi Jaiswal fumbled it in the deep yet again, equalling an unwanted record for the most number of drop catches by an Indian fielder in Tests (4). The southpaw moved to his sixth Test ton with another reverse-sweep before the rain halted proceedings.
After the short break, Prasidh ruled the roost with two quick wickets bringing the tourists back in the game. He first got Crawley (65) to nick one to first slip and followed it up by castling Ollie Pope (8). Prasidh finally pitched the ball up on both occasions and got the ball to talk. But Duckett continued to be at his attacking best, even taking on Bumrah as suddenly the runs were flowing once again. He smashed two more fours off the tiring Prasidh before playing a superb reverse-sweep for six.
One run short of his 150, the southpaw played an uppish cover-drive and was pocketed by Nitish Reddy off Thakur before Brook was caught down the legside off the next delivery. The visitors managed to put a steady break on the run-scoring before another steady drizzle forced early Tea.
Earlier in the first session, Duckett and Crawley laid a solid foundation for the hosts to attempt to chase down the score. They were initially watchful scoring just 42 runs in the first hour, as the Indian fast bowlers kept their lines tight. But after the drinks break, England began to rapidly race through the gears after drinks. Duckett pounced on anything short offered to him by Prasidh while Crawley got into the act with a cover drive, taking on Thakur who lacked control in his short spell of four overs. It also highlighted the lack of experience in Shubman Gill’s captaincy as he attempted to plug any gaps after a shot was played by the openers.
Crawley brought up the 100-run partnership – the first at Headingley in the fourth innings since 1984 – with a beautiful punch to the ropes through the point region.
Brief scores: England 465 & 269/4 (Ben Duckett 149, Zak Crawley 65; Shardul Thakur 2-28, Prasidh Krishna 2-69) need 102 runs to win against India 471 & 364 (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118; Brydon Carse 3/80, Josh Tongue 3/72).
© Cricbuzz
