England Chase 371, Beat India In First Headingley Test

England secured a thrilling five-wicket victory over India in the first Test at Headingley, chasing down a challenging target of 371 runs with 14 overs to spare, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Opener Ben Duckett was the standout performer, scoring a magnificent 149 and forming a crucial 188-run partnership with Zak Crawley, who contributed 65, which laid the foundation for England's successful chase. Captain Ben Stokes praised Duckett's outstanding innings and highlighted the team's strong attitude and calmness under pressure, attributing the win to both skill and mental resilience. The victory marks England's second highest successful fourth-innings chase at home and continues their recent history of memorable wins at Headingley, including Stokes' own heroics in 2019. Joe Root and Jamie Smith finished the match with unbeaten knocks, with Smith sealing the win by hitting a six off Ravindra Jadeja. Stokes also defended the decision to bowl first despite India's strong first innings score, emphasizing the team's focus on making the best decisions and maintaining a winning mindset.