England Beat India by Five Wickets to Lead Test Series 1-0

England secured a remarkable five-wicket victory over India in the first Test at Headingley, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series with a chase of 371 runs — the second-highest successful fourth-innings run chase in England's Test history. Ben Duckett was the standout performer with a commanding 149, supported by Zak Crawley's fluent 65 and Joe Root's unbeaten 53, whose calmness helped steady the innings in the tense final moments. Despite India posting a massive 471 in the first innings and multiple centuries from players including Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, they suffered crucial collapses late in both innings, losing seven wickets for 41 runs in the first and six wickets for 31 runs in the second, which proved costly. India also briefly regained momentum on day five with Shardul Thakur taking two wickets in two balls, but England’s solid top order and composed finish ultimately sealed the win. This match was historic as England became the first team to score five centuries in a first-class game against themselves and still win, highlighting the high-quality performances on both sides. The thrilling contest marked a strong start for England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.