Did Stokes-led England Break the Taboo of Chasing Big Scores in Test Finals?

New Delhi, June 25 (NationPress) After England successfully chased down 371 runs to defeat India by five wickets in the inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar praised the Ben Stokes-led team for overturning a long-held belief regarding successful chases in the concluding innings of a Test match.

On the fifth day, Ben Duckett played an outstanding innings of 149, enabling England to achieve the challenging target of 371 runs in the last session, putting them ahead 1-0 in the five-match series. This chase marks the second-highest total that England has ever chased in Test cricket, validating skipper Stokes' decision to bowl first at Headingley.

“Kudos to this England squad under Ben Stokes. They have dismantled what was once a taboo in Test cricket — the notion that chasing 250 or 300-plus runs in the final innings is nearly impossible. They have stared down the challenges of pitch conditions and pressure, asserting that they will approach these targets with a fresh mindset,” said Manjrekar.

“Even on Day 5, the fielding team faces increased pressure, as they are the ones tasked with securing a win now. That’s the mental transformation. By challenging long-held beliefs, you need exceptional batters like we saw today. Joe Root consistently steps up for England when they are pursuing substantial totals.

“The groundwork was expertly laid by Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley. Regrettably for India, the pitch became completely flat during the morning session. Bumrah and his fellow seamers gave it their all, but the surface simply fell asleep. It started to play akin to a day-five pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium — utterly lifeless. This made India’s task of clinching the match significantly tougher,” he remarked on JioHotstar.

He also highlighted the local hero, England’s star batter Joe Root, who scored a match-winning 53 not out, leading the hosts in a nail-biting chase at Headingley. “This has become his forte — even in other formats. Recently in 50-over cricket, he played a phenomenal innings of 160 not out during a challenging chase, with the next highest score being around 50 or 60.”

“That’s Joe Root — one of the all-time greats. It’s a pleasure to see players like him and Kane Williamson in Test cricket. We don’t have the privilege of watching them enough in this region, and when we do, it serves as a reminder of the caliber of batters around the world.

“A couple of years back, Williamson delivered some remarkable Test innings, and here we see Root once again showcasing his brilliance — guiding England through tough times after they had just lost Ben Stokes.

“Had India managed to dismiss Root at that moment, it could have led to chaos and anxiety in the England camp. But Joe Root is firmly established on the pitch. Once set, he’s incredibly difficult to dislodge. That’s what makes him exceptional,” concluded Manjrekar.