IND vs ENG 1st Test: Rahul, Pant Hundreds Pile Pressure as England Chases 371 at Headingley

Jun, 24 2025

KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant Rewrite Records as India Sets England Mountainous Target

Day 4 at Headingley had everything Test cricket fans crave: tireless resolve, dramatic collapses, and individual brilliance that etches itself into history books. India’s top order did the heavy lifting, with KL Rahul grinding out a patient 137, soaking up over five hours of English bowling, while Rishabh Pant cut loose in vintage fashion and hammered 118 runs off just 140 balls—marking his second triple-figure score in the match. This 195-run stand between the two not only rescued India from early jitters but also handed them the driver’s seat with a 371-run target for England to chase.

If Pant’s name wasn’t already flashing in neon lights, he’s now the only Indian wicketkeeper to have notched up twin hundreds in a single Test on English soil. Rahul, on the other end, played the perfect foil, absorbing pressure and letting loose only when the field spread wide. Their partnership took India from a wobbly start to a commanding position, frustrating England’s pacers and spinners alike as they wore down the bowling attack across long, grinding spells.

Josh Tongue’s Rapid Strikes and England’s ‘Bazball’ Hope

England looked lost for ideas until Josh Tongue found his groove—snagging three wickets in just four balls. Tongue ended the innings with seven across the match, lighting up the late afternoon and triggering a collapse that saw India lose their last six wickets for just 31 runs. What looked like a procession at one stage turned into a rapid unravel as India’s lower order barely troubled the scorers. This left England’s openers with a tense six overs to draw out the day, but Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett looked relatively comfortable, guiding England to 21 without loss by stumps.

The pitch is only going to get harder to bat on as cracks widen and bounce gets uneven. England may fancy their deep batting order and their aggressive ‘Bazball’ philosophy, but chasing 350 more runs with fingers crossed for the weather and nerves tested by India’s ace quick Jasprit Bumrah is anything but simple. Yet, if ever there was a stage to see Bazball under real pressure, it’s now. With pant’s name now inked in the record books and Rahul’s steadfast knock setting the perfect tone, the final day promises edge-of-the-seat drama as England hunts history and India eyes a famous away win.