India vs England 1st Test Day 4: Rahul & Pant Masterclass, Can England Survive a 370 Chase?
India vs England 1st Test Day 4: Rahul and Pant’s Tons Set England a Target of 370
Cricket fans at Headingley, Leeds, were treated to a batting masterclass on June 23, 2025. KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant lit up Day 4 of the first Test between India and England with stunning centuries. Their efforts propelled India to a second-innings total of 364, setting England a target of 370 runs to win. By stumps, England’s openers had safely navigated to 21/0, leaving the match poised for a thrilling final day.
Day 4 Begins with Promise
India resumed their second innings at 90 for 2, leading by 96 runs. KL Rahul, unbeaten on 47, and Rishabh Pant, known for his fearless batting, were at the crease. England’s bowlers, led by Ben Stokes, aimed to strike early, but Rahul and Pant had other plans.
The Rahul-Pant Show
The duo forged a game changing 195 run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rahul played with calm precision, guiding India through the morning session. He reached his century with a crisp cut shot, facing 247 balls and hitting 18 fours. His knock was a mix of patience and elegance, perfectly suited to the situation.
Pant, on the other hand, was pure entertainment. He raced to his hundred in just 130 balls, smashing 15 fours and 3 sixes. His aggressive stroke play, including back-to-back sixes off spinner Shoaib Bashir, had the crowd roaring. Pant’s century made history, he became the first Indian to score centuries in both innings of a Test against England, and only the second wicketkeeper in Test history to achieve this feat, following Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower in 2001.
By tea, India were 298 for 4, with a lead of 304 runs. Rahul and Pant’s partnership had put England under immense pressure.
India’s Late Collapse
The post-tea session saw drama unfold. Pant fell for 118, caught by Zak Crawley off Bashir, ending the big partnership. Rahul continued, but was bowled by Brydon Carse for 137 at 333 for 5. Karun Nair, who scored 20, was dismissed soon after, caught and bowled by Chris Woakes.
England’s bowlers then seized the moment. Josh Tongue produced a stunning spell, taking three wickets in one over Shardul Thakur (4), Mohammed Siraj (0), and Jasprit Bumrah (0). India’s tail crumbled, and they were bowled out for 364 in 96 overs. Ravindra Jadeja remained not out on 25, but the lower order added little. Carse was England’s best bowler, finishing with 3 wickets.
England’s Steady Start
With a target of 370, England had 6 overs to bat before stumps. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett faced a probing spell from Bumrah and Siraj but remained unbeaten. They scored 21 runs, with Crawley on 12 and Duckett on 9. England need 350 more runs on Day 5 to pull off a historic chase.
Scorecard Summary
|
Innings |
Total Runs |
Overs |
Run Rate |
Wickets Fallen |
Extras (b, lb, nb, w, pen) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
India 1st |
471 |
113 |
4.16 |
10 |
31 (1, 14, 9, 2, 5) |
|
England 1st |
465 |
100.4 |
4.61 |
10 |
34 (8, 18, 7, 1, 0) |
|
India 2nd |
364 |
96 |
3.79 |
10 |
18 (5, 4, 6, 3, 0) |
|
England 2nd |
21/0 |
6 |
3.50 |
0 |
0 (0, 0, 0, 0, 0) |
| Batting | R | B | M | 4s | 6s | SR | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Yashasvi Jaiswal
|
c †Smith b Carse | 4 | 11 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 36.36 | ||
|
KL Rahul
|
b Carse | 137 | 247 | 381 | 18 | 0 | 55.46 | ||
|
Sai Sudharsan
|
c Crawley b Stokes | 30 | 48 | 79 | 4 | 0 | 62.50 | ||
|
Shubman Gill (c)
|
b Carse | 8 | 16 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 | ||
|
Rishabh Pant †
|
c Crawley b Shoaib Bashir | 118 | 140 | 208 | 15 | 3 | 84.28 | ||
|
Karun Nair
|
c & b Woakes | 20 | 54 | 64 | 3 | 0 | 37.03 | ||
|
Ravindra Jadeja
|
not out | 25 | 40 | 61 | 2 | 1 | 62.50 | ||
|
Shardul Thakur
|
c Root b Tongue | 4 | 12 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 | ||
|
Mohammed Siraj
|
c †Smith b Tongue | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
|
Jasprit Bumrah
|
b Tongue | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
|
Prasidh Krishna
|
c Tongue b Shoaib Bashir | 0 | 11 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| Extras | (b 5, lb 4, nb 6, w 3) | 18 | |||||||
| Total |
96 Ov (RR: 3.79)
|
364 | |||||||
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | ECON | WD | NB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chris Woakes
|
19 | 4 | 45 | 1 | 2.36 | 0 | 1 | |
|
Brydon Carse
|
19 | 2 | 80 | 3 | 4.21 | 1 | 2 | |
|
Josh Tongue
|
18 | 2 | 72 | 3 | 4.00 | 2 | 1 | |
|
Shoaib Bashir
|
22 | 1 | 90 | 2 | 4.09 | 0 | 0 | |
|
Ben Stokes
|
15 | 2 | 47 | 1 | 3.13 | 0 | 2 | |
|
Joe Root
|
3 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 7.00 | 0 | 0 |
Looking Ahead to Day 5
Chasing 370 on the final day is a tall order for England, especially with the pitch showing signs of wear. India’s bowlers, particularly Bumrah, who was wicketless in the final session but lethal earlier, will look to exploit any uneven bounce. England, known for their aggressive batting under Stokes’ leadership, might back themselves to chase the target, which would be one of the highest successful run chases at Headingley.
Headingley has a history of dramatic finishes, and this match is shaping up to be another classic. India hold the upper hand, but England’s openers have given them hope. Day 5 promises to be a battle of skill and nerve.
Sources : ESPNcricinfo , ICC
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