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Josh Tongue celebrates with team-mates after taking the wicket of Jasprit Bumrah on day four of the first Test at Headingley - Getty Images/Clive Mason
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A fifth-day ticket at Headingley is £20 and there are not many better value-for-money deals going around at the moment than that as England sniff another run chase for the ages.
England are 21 for nought and need another 350 to win as a terrific Test match promises to go down to the wire having already produced plenty of blockbuster action after Rishabh Pant’s second century of the game.
If they get over the line it will be the second highest successful run chase by an England side and bettered at Headingley only once before. That was by a team known as the Invincibles and led by Sir Donald Bradman; the kind of history that would unnerve most.
But this England side recognises no limit to its ambitions and will have only one aim in mind when Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley restart after playing a controlled 20 minutes before the close of day four because this was the plan when Ben Stokes decided to bowl first on day one.
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England batsmen Ben Duckett (left) and Zak Crawley walk off following day four where the hosts need 350 more runs to win - PA/Danny Lawson
Jasprit Bumrah is the Bond villain with a ball in his hand who can wreck any side’s hopes in the space of a couple of overs, so no matter how well England start, India will always be in the game. Can England then tear up the Bazball philosophy and play for the draw if necessary? Don’t bet on it.
They believe anything is possible because of Stokes’ Ashes heroics of 2019 when they chased a marginally smaller target (359) to win by one wicket. Headingley is the home of run chases. Four of its last six Tests since 2017 have ended with a team successfully making more than 250 to win and over the last 10 years it is Leeds that has the highest average per wicket in the fourth innings (40.39) of anywhere in the world.
India are fully aware of England’s ability to run up any mountain. The last Test they played in England at Edgbaston three years ago they were stunned as Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root gave short shrift of a target of 378, haring for the finish line in just 79 overs and winning by three wickets against an attack that featured four of their five bowlers here including Bumrah.
Pant’s 118 and KL Rahul’s 137 dominated the fourth day but England stayed in the game thanks to Josh Tongue finishing off the tail with three in four balls as India’s last six wickets fell for only 31 runs.
India batted with great control in tough circumstances at times but England also gave a helping hand. Harry Brook missed a regulation catch at gully off Rahul on 55 and a lack of a first slip in the over after lunch proved costly when Pant edged Tongue. There was a repeat soon after when Pant nicked through an empty gap at second slip. Stokes almost held a worldie of a catch at cover when Pant drove Shoaib Bashir on 75.
Rahul and Pant battled through a difficult morning when the ball jagged around and England’s seamers bowled better than at any other stage. India scored 63 in 25 overs before lunch and were hanging in. But after the break they sizzled as the sun poked through, rattling up 145 in the next 27 overs.
Pant’s second hundred of the match and the ninth of Rahul’s career were models of how to play the conditions. Pant lost his shape a few times trying to whack the ball into the rugby ground and there were half chances offered but he was successful in talking himself down off the ledge whenever recklessness crept in. He would chastise himself in Hindi, muttering he needed to calm down when red mist descended, and his determination to make a hundred was on show in the 90s when he took 22 balls to go from 95 to three figures despite Stokes bowling spin from both ends and tempting him to hit over the top.
A lot was at stake. To become only the second keeper in Test history to score twin hundreds in a match, behind Andy Flower 25 years ago, is a monumental achievement at the age of just 27 but it meant more to him personally because in one game he has dispelled the theory he is too immature to be vice-captain.
When Pant winds up to play a big shot, the crowd holds its breath but next ball he can tamely pat back a forward defensive with barely any backlift, making him one of those players you just cannot take your eye off.
Where Pant can be unpredictable, Rahul is the picture of serenity and their stand of 195 for the fourth wicket flattened England. Rahul brought his hundred up with a trademark cover drive but barely celebrated his eighth century outside Asia, a number only bettered by Sunil Gavaskar for India openers overseas.
Gavaskar was on the viewing balcony of the pavilion for Pant’s century, urging him to repeat his first innings somersault celebration. Earlier this year Gavaskar shouted “stupid, stupid, stupid” when on comms when Pant was caught at the MCG ramping Scott Boland. They have since cashed in with a TV commercial together and if Gavaskar had been on commentary this time he would have said “brilliant, brilliant, brilliant” when assessing Pant’s performance.
After his hundred, Pant hit fifth gear, smashing Root for four, six four but holed out to Bashir trying to carry on the attack. Bashir had hung in as best he could against Pant, conceding back-to-back sixes without falling apart.
The wicket came at the right time for England and Bashir because it felt as though it was about to turn nasty for the young spinner.
Tongue is nicknamed ‘The Mop’ at Worcestershire for his ability to knock over tailenders, which is something England have missed for a long time. His pace and bounce was not to the liking of the rabbits – Mohammed Siraj went off ringing his hands after gloving down the leg side and Bumrah was cleaned up middle stump. Wickets fall in clusters at Headingley and that will be the mental challenge for England.
Archer ends 1,501-day wait to bowl in first-class match
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Jofra Archer took another big stride towards a first Test appearance since 2021 by taking a wicket and, more importantly, getting through a healthy workload on his County Championship return.
As England’s seamers toiled at Headingley, Archer was 70 miles north, playing for Sussex against Durham as he looks to prove his readiness for this series. The England director of cricket Rob Key has targeted the second Test at Edgbaston (which begins next Friday) for Archer’s return, but the third at Lord’s on July 10 may be more realistic.
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Sussex paceman Jofra Archer delivers a ball during the County Championship Division One match with Durham on Monday - PA/Steve Welsh
This was the first time Archer had bowled in a first-class match for 1,501 days, since May 2021, due to a series of stress fractures to the back and right elbow.
More recently, his first-class return was delayed by a thumb injury suffered at the Indian Premier League, but Archer has enjoyed a good run of fitness in white-ball cricket over the last year, managed carefully by England’s medical staff with an eye on the era-defining Test series against India and Australia this year.
Having scored 31 on the opening day, Archer got through 14 overs – more than he has bowled in a competitive game for more than four years – across three spells against Durham. He was bowling on a flat pitch with the Kookaburra ball, and returned very tidy figures of 14 for six and 28 for one, as Durham closed on 249 for five, trailing by 112.
Archer was not given the new ball by his captain John Simpson, but was brought on in place of another capped seamer, Ollie Robinson, six overs into Durham’s innings. Initially, Archer struggled to bowl straight enough at Durham’s left-handed top three, as illustrated by an appeal for a strangle down the leg side first ball.
However his second six-over spell, after lunch, saw him find superb rhythm and good pace. He picked up the wicket of Emilio Gay, the England Lions batsman, lbw and celebrated heartily, having waited so long for a wicket in whites.
After tea, he bowled another tidy four-over spell, and was not used again as Sussex’s spinners bowled with the older ball. He will bowl again on Tuesday and, when it comes to his hopes of playing at Edgbaston, much will depend on how quickly his body recovers from a spike in workload.
The return of Archer would be a real boon for England, who have a hefty fast-bowling injury list. Gus Atkinson is likely out until the third Test against India, while Mark Wood is in a race to be fit for the final match at the end of July. Olly Stone is out of the series.
07:51 PM BST
So who do you think will be smiling this time tomorrow?
There are good arguments for both India and England (and rain might yet make the draw the favourite...), but whatever your prediction, please join us tomorrow morning for what promises to be yet another engrossing day’s Test cricket.
07:42 PM BST
Is Rishabh Pant the best keeper-batsman of all time?
07:37 PM BST
England talk about not playing for draws
But if the rain does have a say, and the hosts are 250ish for seven with an hour or so to play then they will, you suspect, not throw bat at ball. If the rain stays away, then, you suspect, England will score at a rate that takes the draw out of the equation.
Basically, it is a blockbuster day’s play in prospect: a confident England up against a Bumrah-inspired India. I cannot wait.
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Can Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley keep Bumrah and Co. at bay in the morning long enough to give England a good shot at victory come the evening? - AP/Scott Heppell
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Or will Jasprit Bumrah once again prove his all-time greatness and inspire India to victory in the first Test - Getty Images/Clive Mason
07:18 PM BST
We are set up for an enthralling last day, but...
...the weather could scupper chances of there being a winner. Both weather apps I have on my phone (one being the BBC, the other being a Norwegian one that has great graphics of what it thinks the weather will be (the kid in me loves that...)) suggest rain will make an appearance at Headingley tomorrow. The BBC says that throughout the day there is a 36-50 per cent chance of showers. The fun app says there is a chance of “light showers” but only in the afternoon. Let’s hope the fun weather app is the more accurate.
07:00 PM BST
A reminder of the size of the task facing England
06:54 PM BST
Boycott’s verdict: Crawley did well in testing 30 minutes
06:48 PM BST
Josh Tongue speaks to Sky Sports – ‘Crucial not to lose a wicket this evening’
On the state of play...
On the message when Pant was batting...
On taking those three wickets in one over...
06:41 PM BST
KL Rahul speaks to Sky Sports – ‘Batting won’t be easy tomorrow’
On tomorrow...
On how the wicket is playing...
On batting with Rishabh Pant...
On whether England’s ‘no-draw mentality’ will help India tomorrow...
06:32 PM BST
OVER 6: ENG 21/0 (Crawley 12 Duckett 9)
It’s Jadeja with what should be the final over of the day, unless he can rattle through these six deliveries...
Three singles are followed by two forward defensives from Crawley - both showing the maker’s name. Another dot ball follows and well done to Crawley and Duckett who looked solid out there. There were no alarms for the openers and with one day left of this engrossing Test all four results are possible.
England need 350 more runs for the win, India need 10 wickets.
06:28 PM BST
OVER 5: ENG 18/0 (Crawley 11 Duckett 7)
Eight minutes to go before the close so two overs left, I reckon. That means England only have just one Bumrah over to negotiate before tomorrow. Duckett comes forward to one and inside-edges one onto his back leg - ouch. He then leaves the next one (he’s clearly getting used to this leaving malarkey...). That’s followed up by a lovely, authoritative on drive for two. Another confident shot, this time for three through mid-wicket, follows and (not wanting to jinx them) the England openers are looking good.
06:21 PM BST
OVER 4: ENG 13/0 (Crawley 11 Duckett 2)
Good cricket from Crawley in this Siraj over. First up he drives well before the ball is well stopped in the covers. Siraj then bowls too straight and the Kent opener, good off his pads, flicks for four through mid-wicket. Next up Siraj bowls too wide and Crawley has a go, going over the infield for another well-hit four. Siraj was too wayward in the first innings and this over will please England as it looks as though he may well be again.
06:18 PM BST
OVER 3: ENG 4/0 (Crawley 3 Duckett 1)
BREAKING NEWS: Duckett has faced two balls and left both of them...before I have a chance to faint, he plays one off his legs for a single and he’s off the mark. That’s the only run off this Bumrah over and England will be happy with how the first three overs have gone, no scares and the pitch still looks true.
On Sky commentary Stuart Broad makes the point that WinViz has the draw at five per cent, which considering 10 wickets isn’t easy to take in a day, and 350+ runs also hard to score, that, perhaps, the draw is more likely that the computer/boffins make out. (Anyone who understands how WinViz works please let me know...it seems to change it’s mind more often than the Met Office does when predicting the weather...)
06:12 PM BST
OVER 2: ENG 3/0 (Crawley 3 Duckett 0)
Siraj does indeed take the new ball from the other end. Four dot balls (two leaves and two finding the full face of the bat) are followed by another well defended ball from Crawley, as he does the last ball and it’s a maiden.
From the first two overs it looks fundamentally a good surface and India will have to use this new ball well.
06:08 PM BST
OVER 1: ENG 3/0 (Crawley 3 Duckett 0)
Here he comes, Bumrah steams in (off that famous short run) and the first ball is on about sixth stump and Crawley leaves it well be. The third ball is closer to the off-peg, there’s late movement, but once again the opener, known for the odd darty drive (putting it mildly...) decides against playing the ball (a good leave). Crawley is then away with a flick of his pads for a well-run two. A single follows and Duckett leaves (shock!) as the ball only just misses the off-stump, that moved back sharply.
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06:01 PM BST
Here come the openers
Aim will be to be in come the close having seen off Jasprit Bumrah’s opening spell - so much easier to type than actually do...
06:01 PM BST
Headingley historically a good place to chase
05:53 PM BST
India set England 371 to win the first Test
That could work out in the tourists’ favour. Bumrah will have two goes at the England top order, 20 minutes (give or take) tonight and tomorrow morning.
05:51 PM BST
INDIA 364 all out
Krishna c Tongue b Bashir 0
Change of pace as Shoaib Bashir comes on. Three dots balls are followed by a single. Then Krishna hoicks it legside which Tongue takes well in the deep.
FOW 364 all out.
05:46 PM BST
OVER 95: IND 363/9 (Jadeja 24 Krishna 0)
The field is spread out making it hard for Jadeja to find a boundary. That is until he goes for the second Tongue ball of this over which he fires over square-leg for a six. He then takes on another short one, this one a pull played down for four. Two very good shots in a row, he is on the charge - useful runs these...A single follows and Krishna has one ball to survive, which he does and the danger man will have another dart, you suspect, next over.
India’s lead is now up to 369.
05:42 PM BST
OVER 94: IND 352/9 (Jadeja 13 Krishna 0)
Jadeja whips the ball out to deep mid-wicket, it just about carries to Duckett who struggles to pick it and drops (a hard) chance. The Indian left-hander declines the single. The isn’t the case the next ball, leaving Krishna with two ball to survive...
Can’t help but think India would be better off having 40 minutes at England tonight, giving Bumrah two goes at the England top order with the new ball...
India’s lead is 358.
05:37 PM BST
OVER 93: IND 351/9 (Jadeja 12 Krishna 0)
This past 30 minutes has set up this Test brilliantly and effectively taken any decision about an India declaration out of the tourists’ hands. Could these quick wickets be a blessing in disguise for India?
Jadeja dabs Tongue down to third man but declines to take the easy run. He then edges hard to the same region and this time does take the single.
India’s lead is 357.
05:32 PM BST
OVER 92: IND 350/9 (Jadeja 11 Krishna 0)
You’d think Jadeja will have a dart here with only Krishna now to keep him company. However, three dot balls are followed by a single, leaving Krishna with two deliveries to negotiate. Woakes beats the outside edge with the first (a delightful ball wasted on the No 11...), with the second Krishna leaves well.
India’s lead is 356.
05:29 PM BST
Interesting end to the day in prospect
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05:26 PM BST
OVER 91: IND 349/9 (Jadeja 10 Krishna 0)
Three wickets for no runs in the over - exceptional from Tongue. The England pace ace cleaned up the Indian tail in the first innings and he’s done the same again, this time in just one over...
The flip-side of that coin, however, is we are all but certain to see Bumrah have a wee dash at England tonight - penny for the top-order’s thoughts...
05:24 PM BST
WICKET!
Bumrah b Tongue 0
No hat-trick for Tongue, but he won’t mind that as the very next ball Bumrah (clearly keen on a bowl this evening) tries to hit him into the Yorkshire countryside and misses the ball completely before the ball says hello to the stumps...
FOW: 349/9
05:21 PM BST
WICKET!
Siraj c Smith b Tongue 0
GOLDEN DUCK thanks to a short, sweet and painful bouncer from Tongue which Siraj can only fend off down legside wheer Smith gobbles up the catch.
Tongue is on a hat-trick...
FOW: 349/8
05:16 PM BST
WICKET!
Thakur c Root b Tongue 4
Tongue pitches one up there, around fifth stump, Thakur has a dash and Root takes well at head height in the slips.
FOW: 349/7
05:14 PM BST
OVER 90: IND 349/6 (Jadeja 10 Thakur 4)
Woakes is getting the new ball to nip about here and there, as I type that he angles one into Jadeja before getting it to move away. A peach. That will please Bumrah no end. As the match has gone on it’s looked more and more like a new-ball pitch.
05:10 PM BST
OVER 89: IND 349/6 (Jadeja 10 Thakur 4)
At the start of the over the lead is 350, is that enough already? England, such is the bravado that has typified them these past few years, will fancy their chances, the outfield is fast and the wicket still fairly true, especially when pitched up. No more is that better seen than by a delightful on-drive from Jadeja off Tongue for four. A single follows and the lead is up to 355
05:06 PM BST
OVER 88: IND 344/6 (Jadeja 5 Thakur 4)
Woakes opens up the 88th over with a peach, a bit of wobble seam and the ball nearly kisses the top of Thakur’s off-peg. That was a tight/perfectly executed leave (delete as you deem fit...). Four singles from the over.
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05:01 PM BST
OVER 87: IND 340/6 (Jadeja 3 Thakur 2)
Jadeja shuffles back to work a single through the onside and Thakur then gets off the mark to the same fielder but off the front foot, more of a whip than a glance.
India lead by 345.
That’s me done. Greg Wilcox will take you through to the close you lucky people.
04:58 PM BST
OVER 86: IND 335/6 (Jadeja 1 Thakur 0)
Woakes has his first wicket of the match, earned by his fielding. He has bowled much better today. Poor old Karun stood there, giving the pitch the evil eye and then trudges off shaking his head.
04:54 PM BST
Wicket!
Nair c & b Woakes 20 Pure disbelief from the batsman leaves him rooted to the spot after smacking a drive back up the pictch that Woakes clung on to nonchalantly in his followthrough. Great snaffle. FOW 335/6
04:51 PM BST
OVER 85: IND 334/5 (Nair 20 Jadeja 0)
Carse gets his reward. Rahul punches his bat in exasperation before raising it to the standing ovation he deservedly receives as he walks off.
England appeal for leg-before when Carse pins Jadeja from round the wicket but the ball was always heading down and they hustle a leg-bye from it.
04:45 PM BST
Wicket!
Rahul b Carse 141 Drags on. Done by the extra bounce when cutting. Typical Headingley dismissal. Fabulous innings. FOW 332/5
04:44 PM BST
OVER 84: IND 331/4 (Rahul 137 Nair 19)
KL Rahul shuffles back and across to Woakes and opens the face with a vertical bat to glide him for four. He must have played 10 of them in this innings with a velvety touch. A joy to watch.
04:42 PM BST
OVER 83: IND 326/4 (Rahul 133 Nair 18)
Nair, who has been playing himself in soundly, now chases an outswinger and chips it off the edge over gully for four. Only Cameron Green or Danny Briggs would have had a chance of snaffling that. Ben Duckett had zilch.
Carse zips one into Nair’s pads but, knowing it was going down, swallows his appeal then smashes one into Nair’s right index finger. That stung.
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Karun Nair has waited seven years for a second chance in Test cricket - AP Photo/Scott Heppell
04:36 PM BST
OVER 82: IND 321/4 (Rahul 133 Nair 13)
Chris Woakes, who selected the ball, has second dibs on it and comes up the hill, getting it to nip around off a good length. Nair leaves two then plays and misses at a couple that were tighter to off-stump before climbing and zipping away. It’s only when Woakes goes too full that Nair gets away with a crisp check-drive down the ground for a single.
04:30 PM BST
OVER 81: IND 320/4 (Rahul 133 Nair 12)
Carse takes the new ball and is rewarded with bounce. Nair defends on the back foot. When Carse pitches up Nair off-drives him for four with the most fetching shot of his innings so far. The swirling wind blows the cap off Root’s head at first slip.
04:24 PM BST
OVER 80: IND 314/4 (Rahul 133 Nair 7)
Rahul begins what should be Bashir’s last over in this spell with another elegant cut for four. He has such soft hands, dashing wrists, dancing feet. Using his bottom hand, he works a single into the legside. Nair also gleans a single, with a poke through covers.
The new ball is available now. But before that Rahul races off to spend a penny.
04:20 PM BST
OVER 79: IND 308/4 (Rahul 128 Nair 6)
Rahul uses Stokes’ angle into his pads to whisk it behind square off his boots for four. The opener drills another of those handsome cover drives for a single. For Nair, Stokes has a first, third and fifth slip. But the right-hander blocks the final ball of the over with a full blade, nose over the ball, no danger of an edge.
One over before the new ball.
04:16 PM BST
OVER 78: IND 303/4 (Rahul 123 Nair 6)
With their catalyst Rishabh Pant back in the hutch, India are in no rush. If Bumrah can only play three Tests it’s imperative theu don’t let the game meander
04:12 PM BST
OVER 77: IND 301/4 (Rahul 122 Nair 5)
England appeal for a legside strangling of Rahul for Stokes but it hit the thighpad only and though they take their time to assess whether to review they plump for not bothering… wisely.
Rahul brings up England’s 300 with a clumping drive to cover. Stokes opts for the corridor to Nair who lines him up and leaves with good judgment before cashing in when the England captain strays on to middle by clipping it fine for a single.
04:08 PM BST
OVER 76: IND 299/4 (Rahul 121 Nair 4)
Stuart Broad says that the talk in the dressing room would have been about bowling dry for a spell, tying down Nair and prevent India from kicking on towards a lead of 400 that would enable them to have a burst with Bumrah tonight. Bashir pins Nair with a big off-break that hits him outside the line and a ball later Carse makes a good diving stop at short third man to prevent a reverse sweep going for runs.
03:55 PM BST
Tea verdict
03:45 PM BST
TEA: IND 298/4
Another terrific session for India. Gaps in the slips cost them dearly.
03:42 PM BST
OVER 75: IND 298/4 (Rahul 120 Nair 4)
Rahul takes a single off Stokes to cover with a checked-drive. Nair leaves two and blocks the rest.
At tea, India lead by 304 with six wickets left.
03:39 PM BST
OVER 74: IND 298/4 (Rahul 120 Nair 4)
Blimey! It wasn’t butterflies inhibiting Nair as he blocked given that he finally gets off the mark for the match with the most insoucuant of reverse-sweeps off Bashir for four.
03:37 PM BST
OVER 73: IND 292/4 (Rahul 118 Nair 0)
Stokes takes the ball back from Root and starts with one that errs a touch too wide so Rahul slices it behind point for four with a surgeon’s soft hands. A firmer cut from Rahul is destined for the fence until Brook makes a good, diving stop, saving three. Nair remains ‘on ’em’ as he leaves or defends his four deliveries of the over.
03:31 PM BST
OVER 72: IND 287/4 (Rahul 113 Nair 0)
Bashir bags his man on the slog sweep. It turned a bit and skidded through lowish, ruining his intended point of contact. Good wicket for Bashir. Enter Karun Nair on a pair in his first Test for seven years.
03:27 PM BST
Wicket!
Pant c Crawley b Bashir 118 Mistimes a lofted drive and toes it to wide long-on. Foot was hard to the floor and there was no relenting. FOW 287/4
03:25 PM BST
OVER 71: IND 285/3 (Rahul 113 Pant 116)
Pant is almost bowled when trying the reverse-sweep to Root but the ball whistles past off-stump and scuttles away for two byes. He then nails two drives, the first to long-off for four followed next ball with a one-handed monster over extra-cover for six! Three boundaries in succession come when he slog sweeps in front fo square for four, the ball almost blazing a trail to the midwicket boundary.
03:19 PM BST
OVER 70: IND 266/3 (Rahul 113 Pant 101)
Pant leaves the first three balls and turns down two long byes to stay on strike before square cutting for two to bring up his eighth Test century, and becomes the first Indian to make a century in both innings onEngland. No handspring this time.
Only Shai Hope has made twin centuries in a Test match at Headingley, only Andy Flower has achieved it among keeper-batsmen. Sunil Gavaskar has done it three times, Rahul Dravid twice, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane once.
03:16 PM BST
OVER 69: IND 263/3 (Rahul 112 Pant 99)
Pant whisks Root down to midwicket and pushes for two but decides against it when Woakes runs round quick.
03:12 PM BST
OVER 68: IND 261/3 (Rahul 111 Pant 98)
Pant thinks about cutting a big off-break from Bashir but thinks again as it turns sharply towards slip. He watches the slider skid through and defends a couple either side of that.
03:08 PM BST
OVER 67: IND 254/3 (Rahul 108 Pant 98)
Pant slaps Root’s first ball from round the wicket to deep point for a single. He stays round the wicket to the right-handed Rahul who sweeps him for a single. Pant pushes a drive to cover for a single, Rahul slaps one off the back foot for another to cover.
Softly, softly.
03:05 PM BST
OVER 66: IND 254/3 (Rahul 106 Pant 96)
Just the single off Bashir’s 14th over as he nurdles one through midwicket.
Deep cries of ‘Roooooooooooooooooooot!’ as the former captain is thrown the ball to try some Golden Arm winkling out.
03:00 PM BST
OVER 65: IND 253/3 (Rahul 106 Pant 95)
Carse goes short again and Rahul takes it on this time even though it climbs on him, hooking it down to fine leg for four.
Here’s Jofra’s wicket. He’s rocking the black socks too.
Jofra with the breakthrough!️ https://t.co/jcdpDAxU8ypic.twitter.com/WwBvCO1VH8
— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) June 23, 2025
02:56 PM BST
OVER 64: IND 249/3 (Rahul 102 Pant 95)
Bashir has Stokes at cover and Root at extra-cover and Pant bisects them with blistering power to slam the ball for four. Now he’s one hit away from a century in each innings.
02:54 PM BST
OVER 63: IND 243/3 (Rahul 101 Pant 90)
India’s pacing of his innings has been pitch perfect – even if Rishabh Pant occasionally threatened to go presto with some wild swinging, the result has been a steady building of momentum and gradual acceleration.
Pant leans inside the line of Pant’s bumper and pulls it over his shoulder for four. The sand is trickling through England’s fingers now. Five more come off the over. Pant taking a two and a single on the pull and Rahul using that stroke too for his single.
02:43 PM BST
OVER 62: IND 234/3 (Rahul 100 Pant 82)
Pant targets extra-cover again off Bashir and edges it over backward point for four. He goes again next ball but is beaten by the dip, shovelling it off the toe for a single to long-off.
Rahul started the over with a clip off his toes for a single and ends it with a cover drive for two that brings up a ninth Test century.
Time for a drink.
02:40 PM BST
OVER 61: IND 225/3 (Rahul 97 Pant 76)
Gorgeous late cut from Rahul off Carse, lacing the ball between first and third slips for four. It takes him to 97 and one hit away from a hundred at Headingley to go with his one at the Oval in 2018 and Lord’s in 2021. Only one of his eight to date have come at home.
India lead by 231.
02:35 PM BST
OVER 60: IND 221/3 (Rahul 93 Pant 76)
Bashir starts with a greasy pie of a long hop that Rahul devours on the pull, smashing it for four as it merited. After Rahul takes a single to cover, Pant uses his feet to smash two through the offside, the first landing 2ft short of a diving Woakes at long-off and running two and the second stinging Stokes’ left hand at extra-cover, diving to his left. That will have stung. He larruped it but Stokes still thinks he should have held on to that blistering drive. With asbestos hands, maybe.
02:30 PM BST
OVER 59: IND 212/3 (Rahul 87 Pant 73)
Carse, the best bowler this morning, replaces Tongue, bangs it in and Pant swings for the long pasture at cow corner and thumps it for four. All biceps and bottom-hand power, helped by his low grip. Pant plays tip and run to cover and Rahul allows the ball to do the work, deflecting a back of the length delivery off an open face for a single to point.
Stokes sticks with Bashir.
02:27 PM BST
OVER 58: IND 206/3 (Rahul 86 Pant 68)
Pant whips his front leg out of the way to open his stance and mullers Bashir for two sixes in three balls, the second a touch flatter and wider over long-on. Bashir sees Pant’s feet creeping down so arcs the ball a bit wider and the left-hander swipes it cross-batted down to long-off for a single.
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Pant makes his 16th Test half-century - AP Photo/Scott Heppell
02:22 PM BST
OVER 57: IND 192/3 (Rahul 85 Pant 55)
Tongue raps Rahul on the bottom hand with another leaper, not of the Quadrophenia variety, that jams his fingers into the handle. It hurt like hell but Rahul is pleased that he kept it down. The next ball shoots through low and into the pads. Rahul jabs his bat down in the nick of time and hustles a single.
Having snicked the ball through vacant first slip a couple of overs ago, Pant now nicks one through vacant second slip, a genuine edge with no reward, in fact the opposite for Tongue as the ball flies for four.
Pant brings up his 16th Test fifty with a midwicket flick for two then scythes Tongue with murderous power through point for four. It’s his fifth fifty against England to go with his four centuries.
02:16 PM BST
OVER 56: IND 180/3 (Rahul 83 Pant 45)
Bashir comes round the wicket and India take no risks, Rahul playing out five dot balls before leaning back to punch a single to cover.
02:13 PM BST
OVER 55: IND 179/3 (Rahul 83 Pant 45)
Were it not for bad luck, Tongue would have none in this innings as he again finds Pant’s edge and watches as the ball flies wide of slip and down for four. A couple of balls later he has another flash at one that ramps off a good length and Pant, nothing but good luck today apart from that blow to the goolies, fails to get a scratch on it by merely milimetres.
02:10 PM BST
OVER 54: IND 175/3 (Rahul 83 Pant 41)
Haven’t seen Rahul get the broom out so far but does so now to sweep Bashir hard for four. The spinner reacts with more effirt balls, trying to give them a rip and they do turn. But Rahul is well set and defends comfortably.
02:06 PM BST
OVER 53: IND 171/3 (Rahul 79 Pant 41)
Pant mows across the line against a quick one from Tongue, misses it and takes Smith by such surprise that the keeper dropped it and they burgled a bye. Rahul farms the strike with a flip off his pads behind square.
02:01 PM BST
OVER 52: IND 168/3 (Rahul 77 Pant 41)
Pant pushes Bashir down the ground for a single. In-out field as Stokes tries to keep the lead within range, which is why there was no slip in the previous over, allows long singles in the V.
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Pant milks singles through the V - PA/Danny Lawson
01:56 PM BST
OVER 51: IND 166/3 (Rahul 76 Pant 40)
Oh no! Stokes has taken out the slips for Tongue and he finds the edge from Pant, the ball sailing through where first slip would have been standing and flying down for four. Hands go up to the captain’s and bowler’s face. Pant skips down to the next as if deliberately seeking to add insult to injury and even though it’s wider he slaps it cross-batted through cover for four. Now Stokes bolts the stable door and puts slip back in.
Pant leaves a couple and then slashes an even wider one down to third man for a single.
01:51 PM BST
OVER 50: IND 157/3 (Rahul 76 Pant 31)
Bashir errs too full and serves up a half-volley. Rahul accepts the invitation to drive and creams it through cover for four. Bashir has also adjusted his line, going wider, looking to turn it on to off-stump rather than from off-stump. He is receiving plenty of encouragement, including the tad over-familiar ‘Love it Basher-Boo’ from Harry Brook.
01:48 PM BST
OVER 49: IND 153/3 (Rahul 72 Pant 31)
Josh Tongue starts the afternoon session. If yesterday was ‘moving day’ this is the key session, pivotal to the match’s outcome. England have decided to try to test Pant’s patience, probing away outside off at high pace, trying to induce the rash shot or slip in the inswinger. The latter is fired in from the last ball but Pant is ready for it and taps it into the legside. Maiden.
01:10 PM BST
Lunch verdict
01:06 PM BST
LUNCH: IND 153/3 (Rahul 72 Pant 31)
Only the one wicket for England. It should have been two but Brook could not snaffle the chance at gully given by Rahul. England have squeezed the run rate and given their cluster of wickets in the first innings are still well placed though Pant could change all that with one of his assaults. He has had about half a dozen rushes of blood so far but has ridden his luck so far. Rahul, by contrast, chance apart, has batted with serene poise.
01:04 PM BST
OVER 48: IND 153/3 (Rahul 72 Pant 31)
Bashir with the last over before lunch and Pant steers two off an open face down to third man, charges down but adjusts to whip it through midwicket for a single and ends the over calmly with a pat through midwicket to finish the session on 31.
01:01 PM BST
OVER 47: IND 148/3 (Rahul 71 Pant 27)
Rahul chops an attempted pull off the bottom edge flush into his box. Even with the protection he crosses his legs and mops his watering eyes. England, as we tend to, find it hilarious.
12:54 PM BST
OVER 46: IND 148/3 (Rahul 71 Pant 27)
Stokes turns to Bashir as it starts to rain. Nice drift and dip from the start and he turns the ball away from Pant, who gets off strike with a leg-bye. Rahul drives a single to cover. Tidy.
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KL Rahul on the drive - Getty Images/George Wood
12:49 PM BST
OVER 45: IND 146/3 (Rahul 70 Pant 27)
Rahul check-drives Stokes through cover for four, easing it to the boundary on a lightning outfield. The next ball from the England captain hits a crack and spits off a good length. Rahul drops his hands and wears it on the right biceps. Both batsmen nudge singles off their pads and extend the partnership to 54 and the lead to 152.
12:45 PM BST
OVER 44: IND 140/3 (Rahul 65 Pant 26)
Tongue pitches up, swinging it in to Pant from round the wicket who flicks it through midwicket for a single. Rahul chops a shorter ball from outside off wide of gully where Brook dives to keep it down to one. As lunch approaches, Tongue almost entices the edge as Pant pushes at one that skidded on outside off-stump, unable to resist following it with his hands.
12:42 PM BST
OVER 43: IND 138/3 (Rahul 64 Pant 25)
Pant tries to cut one outside off from Stokes and mistimes it, streakily toeing it wide of second slip at catchable height. They take a single to third man. A no-ball is the only other blot on Stokes’ figures.
12:36 PM BST
OVER 42: IND 136/3 (Rahul 64 Pant 24)
Rahul pulls Tongue for two then is told by Pant to rein himself in a bit after he tries another late cut, like the one he diverted to Brook who shelled it in the gully, fiddling after a ball that was too quick and close for that stroke.
12:32 PM BST
OVER 41: IND 134/3 (Rahul 62 Pant 24)
Pant pushes forward at Stokes and squirts it through gully for four off a thick edge. That came after a couple of slower balls. Stokes seems to favour a fuller length to Stokes when his forte is back of a length.
12:26 PM BST
OVER 40: IND 129/3 (Rahul 61 Pant 20)
Disciplined line and length from Tongue, pounding away down the corridor, looking to surprise with ones that nip in. They take him for a single each, both into the onside from ones that angle in.
12:22 PM BST
OVER 39: IND 127/3 (Rahul 60 Pant 19)
Stokes tries going fuller to KL who drives him between midwicket and mid-on for a single. Pant chisels out the wide yorker to third man for another single. Rahul continues to leave well and smiles after the final ball of the over hits a crack and explodes off a good length, zipping away too.
12:15 PM BST
OVER 38: IND 125/3 (Rahul 59 Pant 18)
Double change: Josh Tongue comes on for Chris Woakes.
Pant charges the first ball that was sprayed on to leg stump but misses it on the inside edge. He’s trying to stop Tongue finding his groove but he doesn’t get away with it. He plays the next ball sensibly, the angel on his shoulder prevailing over the demon this time, tapping it for a single into the legside.
Rahul steers a late cut down through gully for four but next ball he is dropped by Brook at gully as the opener, surprised by Tongue’s bounce, withdraws the bat too late and it kisses the bottom of the blade and flies to the vice-captain who throws up his hands but cannot cling on above his head. Sharp chance but one he should have taken.
12:04 PM BST
OVER 37: IND 118/3 (Rahul 54 Pant 17)
Rahul’s judgment is spot-on this morning and he continues to predict Stokes’ angle and movement perfectly as he leaves a couple that straighten off a good length. That will encourage Stokes to slip in the inswinger but the breeze from square leg to cover is against him. Two extras off the over, a leg-bye and a no-ball.
On come the drinks.
Our county scoreboards are updated ball-by-ball here.
11:59 AM BST
OVER 36: IND 116/3 (Rahul 54 Pant 17)
Rahul nurdles Woakes for a single into the legside and Pant tucks one off his hip to make it a single apiece. Rahul leaves the last two, playing well inside the line. Ben Stokes will bring himself on for a pre-drinks burst.
11:56 AM BST
OVER 35: IND 114/3 (Rahul 53 Pant 16)
Carse has changed his boots. Pant gets the scoreboard moving again by jabbing at a ball outside off and fencing it down to third man for a single. Rahul flicks the leg stump yorker for a single and then Carse whistles one past Pant’s edge from round the wicket, angling in and tailing away.
Characterising the difference between Rahul and Pant, the urbane Dinesh Karthik says ‘Classical music at one end, hip hop at the other.’
11:50 AM BST
OVER 34: IND 112/3 (Rahul 52 Pant 15)
For the third time Woakes is confronted by a batsman backing away when approaching his delivery stride. Pant was putting him off by fussing at his grip, rolling it up and down the handle, at the non-striker’s. Woakes says: “What is going on?” He has a point. The umpires need to have a word.
Maiden from Woakes who has hit his straps, finding a consistent length and good nip.
11:47 AM BST
OVER 33: IND 112/3 (Rahul 52 Pant 15)
Pant survives a hare-brained shot, slog-sweeping an 85mph delivery from Carse and sending it straight up the chimney. Fortunately for him, though, it catches a ride on the swirling breeze and as quick a chase Root gave to it, running back from first slip, it lands safe and then rattles over the rope for four.
After Rishabh survived when pinned playing that toppling stroke, he tells himself in Hindi “Why am I taking so many risks?”
11:44 AM BST
England review
Pant lbw b Carse Not out. He hit it. Went for the falling scoop and was hit on the knee in front but there was a thick inside edge. Both Duckett and Stokes said there were ‘two noises’ but were persuaded to send it upstairs.
11:41 AM BST
OVER 32: IND 107/3 (Rahul 51 Pant 11)
Woakes, the Wizard of Nice, is finally irked when Pant pulls away while he’s halfway through his wind up, giving him an earful as well as chuntering as he stomps back to his mark. He almost has the second best revenge next ball when he hits Pant in the goolies with one that provokes an agonised yelp from the batsman. Pant quells the pain with a charge down the pitch and a thumping cross-batted swat for four through mid-off.
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Pant clubs the ball back straight - AP Photo/Scott Heppell
11:36 AM BST
OVER 31: IND 103/3 (Rahul 51 Pant 7)
Another tight over from Carse, pounding the pitch, looking for the cracks, forcing him up on his toes, moving the ball both ways. The line could be straighter.
11:32 AM BST
OVER 30: IND 103/3 (Rahul 51 Pant 7)
Chris Woakes beams at his lack of luck when he beats Rahul twice outside off and, with the second of the, also beats off-stump by a gnat’s whisker with one that climbs off a good length and fizzes away. Ben Stokes applauds and Woakes rubs his own salt and pepper mop with the broadest of smiles as if to say ‘I can do no more’. Even KL says: ‘Well bowled.’
11:26 AM BST
OVER 29: IND 101/3 (Rahul 50 Pant 6)
Carse is a handful, zipping one past Rahul’s outside edge after angling the ball in and nipping it away. Ripper. The next ball is fuller and he goes for the drive, snicking it off an inside edge behind square on the legside to pick up two that take him to his 18th Test half-century.
11:24 AM BST
OVER 28: IND 98/3 (Rahul 48 Pant 5)
Woakes keeps Pant quiet for five balls with variety of pace and some good movement off the seam both in and out to the left-hander until he goes for the slow yorker and doesn’t land it. Pant opens the face and glides it down to third man.
11:17 AM BST
OVER 27: IND 97/3 (Rahul 48 Pant 4)
Carse is hitting the deck and the many cracks hard, generating surprising lift from a good length, hoping for one that shoots rather than spits up. Stuart Broad says longingly: ‘I’d love to have a bowl on this pitch.’
Judicious leaves from Rahul at the end of the over and excellent adjustment to play the explosive bounce at the start add a maiden to Carse’s figures of two for 29.
11:12 AM BST
OVER 26: IND 97/3 (Rahul 48 Pant 4)
Chris Woakes shares duty for the opening overs with Carse, galloping up the hill from the Football Stand End. Pant gives him the charge, throws the bat at it, aiming for the long on boundary and edges it high over first slip for four. Purest of filth. Spawny so and so. Still, audere est facere. He plays the last two with almost self-conscious propriety.
11:07 AM BST
OVER 25: IND 92/3 (Rahul 47 Pant 0)
Brandon Carse will open the bowling from the Kirkstall Lane End and the trumpeter plays his version of Jerusalem during his first deliveries. Gill pulls a shorter one down to deep backward square with his Madras Rubber Factory bat but two balls later drags on, thinking the ball was wider and wouldn’t move so much back into him. Dream start for England.
11:04 AM BST
Wicket!
Gill b Carse 8 Went for the dab down to third man but chops on to his stumps off the inside edge because of a degree of movement off the seam. FOW 92/3
11:00 AM BST
OVER 24: IND 90/2 (Rahul 47 Gill 6)
Harry Brook has just been standing on hands at slip after Jerusalem, waiting for the call of ‘Play!’ Rahul defends the final ball of the over, pushing it back up the pitch.
10:59 AM BST
One ball to go in Bashir’s third over
KL is on strike.
10:50 AM BST
Fred and his heir
Jasprit Bumrah is the finest red-ball fast bowler that ever drew breath
10:38 AM BST
Listen: Sir Geoffrey Boycott’s preview
10:38 AM BST
Thoran agogo
10:33 AM BST
Good day to bowl
10:29 AM BST
Day four: What can England chase?
Good morning and welcome to day four of the first Test between England and India which begins with the touring side 96 runs ahead with their captain, Shubman Gill, and most experienced top-order batsman, KL Rahul, at the crease with eight wickets left. After another sensational day of cricket in Leeds, truly the greatest ground for drama and knife-edge Tests, England cannily fought their way to near parity with some jaw-dropping counter-attacking and clever, relentless strike rotation. Those who see ‘Bazball’ as purely slogging ought to watch Chris Woakes’ innings from yesterday.
Shoaib Bashir has a vital role to play today. The cracks that caused three deliveries to take off alarmingly and fly for four byes on Sunday are too far outside the right-handers’ off-stump to be used effectively but there was turn for Ravindra Jadeja and there ought to be plenty of rough on both sides given how many overs were bowled round the wicket on days one, two and three. Of course, on the principle of what’s good for the goose Jadeja himself could make hay tomorrow from one end to back up the incomparable Jasprit Bumrah and given how poorly England have played spin on turning tracks on their last visits to Pakistan and India, their confidence in chasing 300 ought to be tempered.
This side have shifted the historical parameters of possibility in fourth-innings chases over the past three years but there’s no Jonny Bairstow here and Ben Stokes, back to bowling near his best, continues to look badly out of nick with the bat, as if he’s over-thinking his approach.
India are marginally favourites, 11/10 compared with England’s 13/10 but it’s a breezy, cloudy, cool day in Leeds and while the rain has stopped there were showers earlier this morning. Ideal conditions to bowl seam up.
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