Can England chase down 350 runs on the final day?

Leeds, June 24 (NationPress) England now faces the challenge of scoring 350 runs to clinch victory on the final day of the first Test in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at Headingley, having reached 21/0 in six overs at stumps on Day Four here on Monday. With all wickets intact and a rain forecast looming, the match is poised for an exciting conclusion, as all three outcomes remain feasible.

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant laid down the challenge for England, emerging as India's top performers with scores of 137 and 118, respectively, as India was bowled out for 364 in their second innings spanning 96 overs.

Rahul displayed his calm demeanor to score 137, marking his ninth Test century with 18 boundaries, while Pant, after a quiet spell, unleashed a stunning 118—his eighth Test century—supported by 15 boundaries and three sixes.

Prior to the impressive 195-run partnership between Rahul and Pant at Headingley, the two had previously achieved centuries in a partnership at The Oval in 2018. Pant also set multiple records, becoming the first wicketkeeper and fifth Indian batter to score two hundreds in the same Test match overseas.

Notably, Pant is now only the second wicketkeeper-batter to hit centuries in both innings of a Test match, following Andy Flower's achievement in 2001. In a twist, instead of his signature handspring celebration, he opted for a gesture popularized by British footballer Dele Alli.

However, after the dismissals of Pant and Rahul, India faced another batting collapse, losing their last six wickets for just 31 runs. Josh Tongue emerged as the standout bowler for England, taking 3-72 in 18 overs, with all three wickets falling in a single over.

In the morning session, under overcast conditions, Brydon Carse made an early breakthrough for England by dismissing Gill, who had top-scored with 147 in India's first innings, reducing him to eight runs. Pant began aggressively, narrowly escaping an LBW call, while a top-edge on a sweep landed safely at fine leg.

On the flip side, Rahul weathered a few plays and misses to reach his fifty, while Pant also survived an LBW appeal after attempting to unsettle Carse. As deliveries varied in bounce, Rahul exhibited composure to navigate the challenges alongside Pant, who settled down after an initial flurry. Rahul was given a reprieve on 58 when Harry Brook dropped a catch at gully off Tongue. By then, Pant had steadied his game, employing positive self-talk, as both ensured India remained stable until the lunch break.

The post-tea session saw Pant score three rapid boundaries off Tongue, while Rahul accumulated runs off Shoaib Bashir. Pant edged past a vacant second slip to reach his fifty, before continuing to dominate Tongue with a boundary, eventually bringing up his ninth Test century in 202 balls, raising his bat and helmet to the crowd.

Pant's century came in 22 balls, resisting the outside off-stump bait from Bashir and Joe Root. Upon cutting Bashir for a single, Pant celebrated more modestly, soaking in applause and embracing Rahul in gratitude.

Despite Sunil Gavaskar urging him to perform his trademark handspring celebration, a content Pant indicated a 'next time' gesture. He then struck Root for a series of boundaries before mis-timing a slog-sweep and getting caught off Bashir. Rahul and Nair added to India’s lead before the tea break.

The final session commenced with Rahul and Nair accumulating five quick boundaries until Carse struck again, dismissing Rahul, who chopped onto his stumps. Nair soon followed suit with a simple return catch to Chris Woakes. Tongue then accelerated the conclusion of India's innings as Shardul Thakur nicked behind, Mohammed Siraj fell for a golden duck, and Jasprit Bumrah was bowled while attempting a slog.

India's innings concluded when Prasidh Krishna holed out off Shoaib Bashir, leaving England in high spirits. With just six overs to chase, openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett started cautiously before Crawley hit back-to-back fours off Siraj.

At stumps, Crawley and Duckett were not out at 12 and 9, respectively, as England's target was reduced to 350 runs. With spin and grip available for Jadeja to exploit, England must deliver their best batting performance on day five to secure another memorable victory at Headingley.

Brief scores:

India 471 and 364 in 96 overs (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118; Josh Tongue 3-72, Brydon Carse 3-80) lead England 465 and 21/0 in six overs (Zak Crawley 12 not out, Ben Duckett nine not out) by 350 runs