Historic defeat for India as England wins 1st Test by 5 wickets

England secured a remarkable five-wicket victory over India in the first Test of the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at Headingley on Tuesday. The hosts successfully chased down a formidable target of 371 runs, highlighting their aggressive 'Bazball' approach, while India, despite a monumental batting effort, etched their name in Test history for an unenviable reason.

India became the first team ever in Test cricket to register five individual centuries in a match and still end up on the losing side. This surpassed the previous record of four centuries in a losing cause, set by Australia against England during the iconic 1928/29 Ashes Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The five centurions for India included Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant in the first innings, with Pant adding another century and KL Rahul scoring one in the second innings.

Furthermore, India's combined effort of 835 runs at Headingley in 2025 now ranks as the fourth-highest total by a team that ultimately lost a Test match. This unfortunate record places them behind England's 861 runs against Australia in 1948 (also at Headingley), Pakistan’s 847 against England in Rawalpindi (2022), and New Zealand’s 837 against England at Trent Bridge in 2022. The fact that three of these five highest losing totals involve Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s 'Bazball' era England side speaks volumes about their transformative impact on the longest format of the game.

Resuming at 21 for no loss on the fifth and final day, England remained composed in the first session, laying a solid foundation for their chase. Despite India fighting back valiantly in the second session, claiming four crucial wickets, England maintained their aggressive intent and stayed ahead of the required run rate. The hosts eventually reached 373 for 5 in just 82 overs, sealing a memorable victory.

England’s successful chase of 371 runs in the fourth innings was truly historic, marking one of the finest run chases in Test cricket. It stands as England's second-highest successful chase in Test history, only surpassed by their iconic 378-run chase against India at Edgbaston in 2022, a match made famous by match-winning knocks from Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root. Opener Ben Duckett was instrumental in this Headingley triumph, scoring a sensational 149 in the second innings and deservedly earning the Player of the Match award.

This victory also represents the second-highest successful chase against India in Test history. Moreover, this is the third instance of a successful 350+ run chase at Headingley, further cementing the ground's unique significance in Test match lore as a venue for dramatic finishes. The series now moves to Birmingham, where the second Test will be played from July 2-6.