In the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar test match series between England and India, England’s batting lineup stood as a pillar to chase a target of 371 runs and led the series by 1-0 in the 5-match series. Among the England batters, Ben Duckett’s crucial 149 runs off 170 balls helped the hosts clinch the well-deserved victory after struggling for four days.
Along with Duckett, Zak Crawley, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Jamie Smith contributed to the chase against India.
[TRENDING] Ben Duckett’s Incredible Performance
India’s new captain, Shubman Gill, is starting with an embarrassing loss after their team suffered a five-wicket loss against the mighty England at Headingley, Leeds.
Following India’s struggling innings on Day 4 of the test match, England was given a target of 371 runs, which was almost impossible for the hosts, looking at their batting performances on the initial days of the game.
However, England’s openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, proved all cricket enthusiasts wrong after they started dominating the Indian bowlers from the very first ball of the innings. Both openers continued their partnership for more than 100 runs, which gave a solid foundation to their chase.
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Especially the century of Ben Duckett, in the crucial moment of the innings, helped middle-order batters to take off the pressure and chase the target patiently.
Ben Duckett was determined to snatch the game anyhow, as he was leading from the front from the very first ball of Jasprit Bumrah. His fifty came in 66 balls, followed by his century in 121 balls.
Here is an X post:
Take a bow. What an innings. Ben Duckett. 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/QnTIVmmlMl
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 24, 2025
However, there was a time when Duckett slowed his innings until he accelerated against India’s weaker bowling attacks on that day. The left-handed batter especially played brilliant reverse sweeps against the left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, which gave him extra confidence in the chase.
Ben Duckett’s luck also played a huge role in the match, as he was dropped by the young Yashasvi Jaiswal when he was 97. From that moment onwards, he smashed his sixth century in 34 Tests in a dominating fashion.
[REPORT] England’s Supporting Contributions
Meanwhile, it was before lunch when India was close to separating the pair, but unfortunately, Bumrah dropped a tough low, giving another lifeline to Crawley when he was on 42.
Following the lunch, Ben Duckett further unleashed his power and went on to attack Bumrah for a four, with Crawley whipping the Indian bowlers out of the boundary.
Unfortunately, the 20-minute rain delay in the second session gave India the momentum to break the first wicket partnership in 188, but the arrival of Joe Root and Ben Stokes at the crease again brought the rhythm for England.
They both added 49 runs together but the captain, Stokes, was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja.
England still needed 69 runs with five wickets in hand, and as a result, Joe Root took no time to score his 66th fifty for England, as he remained unbeaten on 53. Jamie Smith closed England’s innings by hitting a six and remained unbeaten, scoring 44 off 55 balls.
Here is the scorecard summary of the England vs. India first test on day 5:
- India 471 all out after 113 overs: Shubman Gill (147 off 227), Rishabh Pant (134 off 178), Yashasvi Jaiswal (101 off 159); Ben Stokes (4-66), Josh Tongue (4-86)
- England 465 all out after 100.4 overs: Ollie Pope (106 off 137), Harry Brook (99 off 112), Ben Duckett (62 off 94); Jasprit Bumrah (5-83), Prasidh Krishna (3-128)
- India 364 all out after 96 overs: KL Rahul (137 off 247), Rishabh Pant (118 off 140); Josh Tongue (3-72), Brydon Carse (3-80)
- England 373-5 after 82 overs: Ben Duckett (149 off 170), Zak Crawley (65 off 126), Joe Root (53no off 84); Shardul Thakur (2-51), Prasidh Krishna (2-92)
Ben Duckett was awarded Player of the Match with his 62 runs and 149 runs in the first and second innings. Meanwhile, the second test of the Anderson-Tendular test series will be played on July 2 at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham.
Amit Mishra’s Perspective on Ben Duckett’s Inning
As someone who follows test cricket matches the most, I believe the innings played by Ben Duckett show how determined England is to win the game, even in difficult conditions. His crucial 149 runs off 170 balls will certainly be a threat for India going to the second test in the series.
Following the first test, it has been shown that no matter how many centuries you score, the presence of mind in the game is as important as performing on the field. It would be very exciting to see how India will respond to the loss in the second test at Edgbaston Stadium.
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