The first Test between India and England at Headingley turned out to be a thrilling encounter packed with runs, records, and drama. Despite India dominating for most of the match, England pulled off a historic win, chasing down a massive target in the fourth innings.
Day 1 – India Starts Strong
England won the toss and chose to bowl. India’s top order made full use of the flat Headingley pitch:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a brilliant 101, showing great patience and control.
- Shubman Gill, leading the team for the first time, remained unbeaten on 127* at the end of Day 1. This was his first Test hundred outside of Asia.
- Rishabh Pant scored a half-century and stayed not out on 65 at the end of Day 1. India finished the day in a strong position at 359/3.
Pant’s Power on Day 2
- Rishabh Pant played with confidence and scored 134 runs, his seventh Test century and fourth against England.
- He went past MS Dhoni’s record for most Test hundreds by an Indian wicketkeeper. India ended their first innings at 471/10.
Bumrah’s Brilliance on Day 3
- Jasprit Bumrah impressed with a strong bowling performance, taking 5 wickets for 83 runs against England.
- It was his 10th Test five-wicket haul and 2nd in England, leading India to a strong first-innings lead.
More Centuries, More Dominance
- KL Rahul scored a classy 137, his first Test ton since returning to the side.
- Rishabh Pant scored another century in the second innings – 118 runs, becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to hit two hundreds in the same Test match.
- Pant’s innings included 9 sixes, the joint-most in a Test innings in England. In total, India scored 835 runs across both innings.
Watch: Click Here to Watch IND vs ENG 1st Test Highlights
Incredible Records from the Match
| Record | Details |
| Five Centuries | Jaiswal, Gill, Pant (twice), and Rahul all scored 100+ |
| Highest Aggregate | 1,673 runs – most in any IND vs ENG Test |
| Pant’s Sixes | 9 sixes – Joint most in a Test in England |
| India’s Total | 835 runs – 4th highest team total in a losing cause |
| England’s Chase | 371 – highest successful chase at Headingley and 2nd highest by England in Tests |
England’s Stunning Comeback
- Ben Duckett smashed 149 at the top of the order.
- Zak Crawley made 65 runs, Both the openers were amazing.
- Joe Root anchored the chase with an unbeaten 53*.
- England chased down 371 runs, completing a historic win in front of their home crowd.
This was the highest successful run chase ever at Headingley and England’s second-highest chase in Test history.
Rare Test Match Feat
Despite scoring five centuries and setting up a huge target, India became the first team in Test history to lose a match after scoring five individual hundreds. It was a tough loss for the visitors, but the match gave fans plenty to cheer about.
Final Result England secured a 5-wicket win and took a 1-0 lead in the 5-match Test series.
Conclusion
The Headingley Test had everything, big scores, brilliant batting, records tumbling, and a sensational chase. While India’s young batters impressed with their consistency and flair, England proved why they are always dangerous at home, no matter the situation. This match will be remembered as one of the most entertaining Tests between the two nations.
Written by Kinjal Walantra
