That’s all for today. Daniel and Taha will be on duty for what could be a classic final day; I’ll leave you with our report from Headingley. Ta-ra!
KL Rahul's reaction
I think it’s a perfect day-five wicket for us to bowl on but it’ll be a very interesting game. There’s a blockbuster finish waiting tomorrow.
It was a beautiful batting wicket at the start of the match and I thought it would move towards a draw. But it has started to play tricks and Jadeja will play a part tomorrow.
[On his form] I’ve put in a lot of work behind the scenes with my coach Abhishek Nayar. I’m back to hitting a lot of balls in the nets and I’m really enjoying that.
[How the hell do you average mid-30s in Test cricket] Of course it hurts me a lot. But I don’t really want to get into the numbers – I’ve never really looked at averages or the number of runs. I want to make an impact for the team, do my best, enjoy my cricket. I love playing Test cricket and I’ve been blessed with opportunities.
Someone’s gonna win tomorrow. It’ll be an interesting day. The wicket’s not as easy to bat on as it was in the first innings so England won’t find it as easy to hit the ball on the rise and take their chances.
That gives us an opportunity and we know that, even if they have a big partnership, a couple of wickets will put us right back in the game. We’ll put them under pressure, suffocate them a bit and see what they come up with.
Stumps
6th over: England 21-0 (Crawley 12, Duckett 9) Ravindra Jadeja is coming on to bowl, a clever idea that Michael Vaughan was advocating on TMS. He gets through his overs so quickly that it increases the chances of Bumrah getting another before the close.
England milk three singles… and take just long enough to ensure that will be the final over of another compelling day. They will resume in the morning with all four results on the table, five if you include no result due to a surprise apocalypse. England need 350 more runs, India need 10 wickets.
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5th over: England 18-0 (Crawley 11, Duckett 7) Bumrah goes around the wicket to Duckett, who inside edges the ball onto his thigh and takes the opportunity to waste a few seconds by limping around.
Eventually Duckett takes guard and leaves a third delivery from Bumrah in this innings. Of all the compliments paid to Jasprit Bumrah in the last few years, Duckett leaving three of his first six deliveries is right up there.
Bumrah tightens his line as a result. Duckett pushes him straight for two and then clips three through midwicket. Terrific cricket, this, a subtle arm-wrestle ahead of the main action tomorrow.
4th over: England 13-0 (Crawley 11, Duckett 2) Crawley leans into a wide delivery from Siraj and smashes it just short of the man in the covers. It would have taken some catching had it carried.
Crawley continues to go after Siraj, clipping a stylish boundary through midwicket before carting the next ball over backward point. Siraj responds with a nipbacker that hits Crawley in an intimate area, or at least the vicinity thereof. Excellent cricket.
3rd over: England 4-0 (Crawley 3, Duckett 1) Duckett leaves his second delivery as well, this time without alarm, before getting off the mark with a single behind square.
Bumrah is trying to make Crawley as often as possible. For now Crawley is doing it well, defending solidly on the front foot. A quiet start to the innings, at least in terms of runs and wickets.
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2nd over: England 3-0 (Crawley 3, Duckett 0) Siraj shares the new ball, with two slips and a gully in place for Crawley. Both blow volcanic and glacial, so pretty much anything is possible here. Even a maiden. Siraj’s line is tight, so is Crawley’s defence. Nothing happened but that was a quality over from both players.
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1st over: England 3-0 (Crawley 3, Duckett 0) There’s so much pressure on Zak Crawley, who has reached only 30 in one of his last 12 innings, the century against Zimbabwe last month. He shows good judgement outside off stump, then flicks two off the pads and pushes a single into the off side.
Duckett has one ball to survive at the end of the over. He leaves it, and he won’t be making that mistake again because it cut back sharply and didn’t miss off stump by all that much.
I’d tell you who is going to bowl India’s first over, but I don’t want to insult your intelligence.
Here come the England openers. In theory there are 17 overs remaining tonight; in reality we’ll get six or seven. Any fewer than that and England will probably be at sixes and sevens, as it’ll mean time has been lost due to the fall of wickets.
Anyone for rabbit pie?
“Think it’s worth mentioning with all this rabbit pie talk that in Josh Tongue’s only Test against Australia his five wickets were Khawaja, Warner twice and Smith twicee,” says Andy Richards. “In the first innings 2 of his 4 were Pant and Jadeja who aren’t exactly bunnies either. I think some folk are confusing what was a fast 7 wicket collapse with ‘mopping up the tail’. Don’t want the lad to get an unfair reputation based off of one match is all!”
Yep, fair point. I think “rabbit pie” was used affectionately by everyone; certainly nobody doubts how good Tongue is when he gets it right. The other thing is that England have needed a lover of rabbit pie for, well, about as long as I can remember. If Tongue can harass the best players and bulldoze the lower order, he’ll play a lot of Test cricket.
WICKET! India 364 all out (Krishna c Tongue b Bashir 0)
Josh Tongue doesn’t even need to be bowling to dismiss tailenders. Krishna smashes Bashir high in the air and Tongue takes a superbly judged catch at deep midwicket.
That wicket is probably a blessing in disguise for India, as it means Jasprit Bumrah will get at least three overs tonight. England need 371 to win after inducing another lower-order collapse from India. In the first innings India lost the last seven wickets for 41 runs; today it was the last six for 31.
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95th over: India 363-9 (Jadeja 24, Krishna 0) This time Jadeja nails a big shot, clattering Tongue into the crowd at midwicket. A fast-handed hook round the corner makes it 10 from two balls, and as usual he gets a single to keep strike. Useful runs, these, although I still think India should declare now and give England 35 minutes against Jasprit Bumrah. They lead by 369.
94th over: India 352-9 (Jadeja 13, Krishna 0) Jadeja picks Woakes up towards deep square, where Duckett just can’t get his hands under the ball as he dives forward. He may have seen it late; Ravi Shastri in the commentary box thought so.
“I think I was happier with being batted out of contention,” writes Luke Dealtrry. “Much, much worse to have an ‘achievable’ target, yes?”
Are we still talking about the cricket here?
93rd over: India 351-9 (Jadeja 12, Krishna 0) Jadeja slashes Tongue on the bounce to Brook, who didn’t pick the ball up straight away from his position on the third boundary. Krishna again survives the last two balls, so the stalemate continues.
92nd over: India 350-9 (Jadeja 11, Krishna 0) Nobody knows for sure who is winning, even late on day four, and there’s a slightly strange atmosphere as a result. There’s an argument that it’s better for India to be bowled out now, and better for England to not take the tenth wicket just yet.
Jadeja mistimes a shot off Woakes and then takes a single off the fourth ball. Krishna is beaten by a beauty and leaves the last ball. India lead by 356.
91st over: India 349-9 (Jadeja 10, Krishna 0) Jadeja declines a single when Krishna knocks the ball into the off side, which means that’s a triple-wicket maiden from Tongue. Nom nom nom.
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WICKET! India 349-9 (Bumrah b Tongue 0)
The hat-trick ball is full, straight and defended by Bumrah – but Tongue makes it three wickets in four balls when Bumrah hacks the next ball onto the stumps. Rabbit pie is on the menu again!
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WICKET! India 349-8 (Siraj c Smith b Tongue 0)
Josh Tongue is on a hat-trick! Siraj, promoted above Bumrah, wears a nasty short ball on the glove and is caught down the leg side by Smith.
Siraj walks off wringing his right hand. That was fine, hostile bowling from Tongue – and now he has Jasprit Bumrah’s right hand in his sights.
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WICKET! India 349-7 (Thakur c Root b Tongue 4)
Shardul Thakur’s miserable match continues with a snicked drive that is beautifully taken by Joe Root at first slip. Josh Tongue has his first wicket of the innings and his fifth of the match.
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90th over: India 349-6 (Jadeja 10, Thakur 4) Jadeja feels for a near-perfect outswinger from Woakes and is beaten. The rest of the over passes without incident, and indeed runs. A maiden.
89th over: India 349-6 (Jadeja 10, Thakur 4) Josh Tongue, on for Carse, overpitches to Jadeja and is punished for four through mid-on. Nice shot.
Still an hour and 20 minutes left tonight; my hunch is that India will bat for half that time and then declare.
“I don’t have any glazier friends myself, but I do have one who considers herself a radical linguist,” says Billy Ditchburn. “When I tried to persuade her that all language is metaphor, she just smirked and said ‘that’s horsesh1t’. Regarding the cricket, I can see it being a draw, not simply in the sense of there not being an acknowledged winner, but also because it sounds like an engaging contest that would entice people to come and watch it unfold. I mean, I can’t actually ‘see’ that, but it wouldn’t surprise me if those two circumstances were to be enacted.”
88th over: India 344-6 (Jadeja 5, Thakur 4) Jadeja plays drop and run on the off side. It looks tight at first, but Thakur is home before Bashir’s throw flashes past the stumps.
Sensible cricket from Jadeja and Thakur, who have scored four singles in each of the last two overs. India lead by 350.
87th over: India 340-6 (Jadeja 3, Thakur 2) Jadeja and Thakur take no risks in that Carse over. Their relative caution is a compliment to England, even if, as Jeremy Boyce said in the last over, it’s been a while since one of their mad fourth-innings chases. Lord’s 2023 is the last time England scored 300 batting last, and that was in defeat.
86th over: India 335-6 (Jadeja 2, Thakur 0) “Take your point about Indian players with 2022 Edgbaston on their minds, but let’s not forget that it was the Bazball #1 era, with JB in his pomp, and they were on a roll, chasing down any total you cared to set them,” says Jeremy Boyce. “But here we are in Bazball #2 era, and we will see presently whether things have really changed.
“One thing is that England do not really have momentum at the moment, and I’m sure they’d love to create some here. In both cases the pressure is/was on, needing to square or take the initiative in a five-Test series. Personally I’d be happier to go down with guns firing than playing for an unlikely draw v Bumrah and his support crew.”
I didn’t make a judgement, I just said it would be in their minds! Mind you, I think it would be less astonishing for England to chase 378 here than it was in 2022. I know they had their eye in after the New Zealand series that year but I doubt anyone outside the dressing-room gave them a prayer of chasing 378 against Bumrah, Shami, Siraj and Jadeja.
That said, it felt like a one-off Test – even though it was an extension of the 2021 series – so maybe there was less pressure on England than there will be here.
WICKET! India 335-6 (Nair ct and b Woakes 20)
Karun Nair checks a drive back at Woakes, who takes a tough return catch with almost nonchalant ease. Nair stands motionless for a good five seconds, trying to process what happened, before dragging himself off the field.
India lead by 341. Surely England aren’t up to their old fourth-innings tricks again?
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85th over: India 334-5 (Nair 20, Jadeja 0) Carse goes up for LBW when Jadeja walks across and misses a flick to leg. Paul Reiffel says not out and Ben Stokes eventually decides not to review; it was probably swinging past leg stump and might have bounced over the top as well. But it was another fine delivery from Carse, who has been a consistent threat in the second innings.
WICKET! India 333-5 (Rahul b Carse 137)
The end of a masterpiece. Rahul tries to force Carse off the back foot, is surprised by the bounce and drags the ball down onto his stumps. He walks off to a standing ovation after an innings that all the great Yorkshire openers of yesteryear would have been proud to play: 137 from 247 balls, with 18 fours and dozens of immaculately judged leaves.
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84th over: India 331-4 (Rahul 137, Nair 19) Rahul opens the face to glide Woakes for four, another quite brilliant stroke. It was a perfectly good ball that seemed to have cramped Rahul for room; not a bit of it. India lead by 337 runs.
83rd over: India 326-4 (Rahul 133, Nair 18) Nair chases a tempting, juicy outswinger from Carse and slashes it over the head of gully for four. A hostile over from Carse ends with an unpleasant lifter that pins Nair’s hand against the bat handle. Painful stuff but he looks okay.
82nd over: India 321-4 (Rahul 133, Nair 13) Chris Woakes, who chose the second new ball from the box, gets to work and almost dismisses Karun Nair with a lovely delivery that goes past the edge.
“On Thursday evening, my son Ethan broke his arm whilst fielding for Whitkirk Under-9s in their Leeds and Wetherby Cup semi final,” writes Nathan Early. “Obviously he’s devastated that his season’s over and that he’ll miss the cup final against local rivals Colton. However, he came home from school today to a personal message from Harry Brook (via the ECB) wishing him all the best in his recovery.
“Needless to say, Ethan is now absolutely made up! The video message was clearly recorded at close of play yesterday, which when you’ve just got out for 99 really speaks volumes about the guy.”
That’s lovely. I was going to offer Ethan the best wishes of everyone here at the Guardian, but I think Harry Brook has got us covered.
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81st over: India 319-4 (Rahul 133, Nair 12) The new ball is a double-edged sword increases England’s chances of taking wickets – and India’s chances of scoring runs. Karun Nair push-drives Brydon Carse through mid-off for a handsome boundary, which helps extend India’s lead to 326.
They’ll want at least 50 more, perhaps a hundred. Six of this Indian XI played at Edgbaston in 2022 when England romped to victory by scoring 378 for 3 in only 76.4 overs.
I forgot to link to tomorrow’s weather forecast, as mentioned by Phil Harrison in the 80th over. Here it is. I predict a nipper.
Time for the second new ball. But first, an unscheduled break in play – KL Rahul charged straight off the field at the end of the over, presumably for an appointment with A. Shanks.
80th over: India 314-4 (Rahul 133, Nair 7) Rahul has been batting all day but his toes are still twinkling. He skips back to cut Bashir for four, another shot of unobtrusive class,
“Just looked at the forecast and, while it probably isn’t going to be a washout, there’s not much chance of an uninterrupted day’s play tomorrow,” says Phil Harrison. “Makes it a trickier declaration to time - for all we know, India might have enough runs already but only two wickets in the day suggests the pitch is still basically fine. They could run out of time but if they give England a sniff, it could backfire too.”
And it’s the first Test of the series. But it’s also a Bumrah Test. Easy to say from here but I would do everything I could to give Bumrah a spell tonight, even if it means setting something theoretically gettable like 380 in 100 overs. India hold all the cards; might as well play them.
79th over: India 308-4 (Rahul 128, Nair 6) Rahul flicks a tired delivery from Stokes for four, then tries to pull a sharp, possibly angry bouncer and deflects it into the ribcage. The lead is 314.
“A short window, Rob?” sniffs Brian Withington. “Some sort of squat horizontal job rather than the narrow slit favoured by archers? Asking for a glazier friend.”
Blimey, what is this, Slap a Smyth Day? Anyone want to ask why there hasn’t been any hair gel on my shopping list since 2008? Eh?
78th over: India 303-4 (Rahul 123, Nair 6) There’s more than one way to see in the second new ball. Yesterday England tried to cram as many runs as possible into overs 76-80 and lost Jamie Smith; today Rahul and Nair are playing orthodox, low-risk cricket.
“I am writing to complain about all the music references in the OBO,” writes Alisdair Gould. “Like a wasted short ball it goes way over my head. Can we have Tim soon? You could email him about punctuation. Frustrated – more with England’s lack of bowling really.”
I’m honoured to be your frustration ball, Alisdair, even more so because I can’t remember making a music reference today.
77th over: India 301-4 (Rahul 122, Nair 5) Now England go up for caught behind when Rahul pushes at a leg-stump delivery from Stokes. There was a deflection, but only off the thigh pad.
No sign yet of India trying to force the pace. They’ll want to give Bumrah a spell tonight but that might involve a slightly risky declaration. India’s chances of victory will probably increase if they are bowled out with the second new ball.
76th over: India 299-4 (Rahul 121, Nair 4) A big-spinning delivery from Bashir leads to an LBW appeal against Nair, although strictly speaking it hit him straight between the legs. Which means it would hjve bounced over the stumps.
Nair drags a reverse sweep off the last delivery that is well fielded at short third. India lead by 305.
Shoaib Bashir will resume after tea. There’s a short window of five overs before the second new ball becomes available.
“Can you actually see England managing to resist Bumrah for a whole day and a bit on a fifth-day wicket?” says Jeremy Boyce.
I don’t think it will happen but I can see how it might. It’ll be a fascinating fourth innings – England disowned the draw at the start of Bazball but there have been signs of greater pragmatism in the last year or so. I suppose it depends on the target; if it’s under 400 – which is conceivable, if unlikely, with the second new ball imminent – they will definitely go for it.
Tea: India lead by 304 runs
75th over: India 298-4 (Rahul 120, Nair 4) A quiet end to a dominant session for India, who splattered 145 runs in 27 overs for the loss of the maverick’s maverick, Rishabh Pant. He made history by becoming the first Indian player to score two centuries in a Test against England, although milestones somehow feel less relevant with Pant because the experience of watching him is so vivid.
At the other end KL Rahul provided a real-time masterclass in opening the batting. Rare is the innings that has both Geoffrey Boycott and Rishabh Pant purring with approval; Rahul has played one today.
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74th over: India 297-4 (Rahul 119, Nair 4) Nair scores his first Test runs since March 2017, when Theresa May was prime minster and Jasprit Bumrah was seen as a white-ball specialist, by reverse sweeping Bashir very fine for four. And why not.
73rd over: India 292-4 (lead by 298: Rahul 118, Nair 0) Root off, Stokes back on, and Rahul greets it with a gorgeous cut for four. The DVD of this innings should be sent to budding Test openers across the globe.
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72nd over: India 287-4 (lead by 293: Rahul 113, Nair 0) The new batter is Karun Nair, who is on a pair after that screamer from Ollie Pope in the first innings.
Pant, incidentally, hit 73 off his last 59 balls – and that included an extended spell of strokelessness in the nineties.
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WICKET! India 287-4 (Pant c Crawley b Bashir 116)
Pant slog-sweeps Bashir straight to widish long-on, where Crawley takes a comfortable catch, and walks off to his second standing ovation of the game.
That’s a slightly strange wicket for England. There’s no celebration, because they’ve been pummelled, but it could ultimately be the difference between defeat and a draw. Knowing England, they’ll still be eyeing victory.
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Nineteen from Root's over
71st over: India 285-3 (Rahul 113, Pant 116) Pant lashes Root over extra-cover for six, an outrageous one-handed stroke. It’s his ninth of the match, only four off Rohit Sharma’s Test record. That shot is sandwiched by boundaries down the ground and through midwicket. Oh and there were four byes earlier in the over as well.
England have to find a way to dismiss Pant, who has overtaken KL Rahul and is now effectively putting time back in the game for his bowlers to take 10 England wickets tonight and tomorrow.
An historic hundred for Rishabh Pant!
70th over: India 266-3 (Rahul 113, Pant 101) Pant turns down a bye when a ball from Bashir nutmegs Smith. He’s been dismissed in the nineties on nine occasions in Tests, so he’s determined to get this done. And now he has! Pant cuts a single to reach another brilliant hundred – and become the first Indian batter to make two in a Test against England.
There’s no gymnastic celebration this time. Frankly he’s already provided more than enough entertainment, hitting 25 fours and eight sixes across the two innings. Now that he has made it to three figures, there could be a few more sixes to come.
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69th over: India 263-3 (Rahul 112, Pant 99) Root tries to tempt Pant with some wider deliveries, one of which turns really sharply after Pant offers no stroke. Pant works the final ball to deep midwicket for a single, which means he’ll keep the strike. And he’s one away from his eighth Test hundred.
68th over: India 261-3 (Rahul 111, Pant 98) Nope, not yet. Pant leaves or defends the four balls he faces in that Bashir over. He’s given us all a lesson in patience and discipline.
67th over: India 258-3 (Rahul 108, Pant 98) A mischievous bowling change from Ben Stokes, who brings Joe Root into the attack with Pant one hit away from a century. What's the worst that can happen?
Nothing much in that over. Pant, forever confounding expectations, pushes a couple of low-risk singles on the off side. He’s two away.
66th over: India 254-3 (Rahul 106, Pant 96) Pant needs five for his century, which usually means only one thing. On this occasion Bashir keeps him quiet for four balls before Pant dabs a single on the leg side.
Jofra Archer has taken his first County Championship wicket since 2021. Tanya Aldred has more.
65th over: India 253-3 (Rahul 106, Pant 95) Rahul pulls Carse round the corner for four more. In the morning session England had control of the scoreboard; now it’s behaving like an overstimulated puppy. India have pummelled 73 off the last nine overs.
“What’s the record for the most individual centuries in a Test?” asks Mike Jakeman, with Rishabh Pant about the score the sixth of the match.
I’d need to check but I think it’s eight, shared between West Indies v South Africa in Antigua in 2005 and Sri Lanka v Bangladesh in Galle in 2013.
64th over: India 249-3 (Rahul 102, Pant 95) Pant rocks back to violate a short ball from Bashir through extra cover for four. The power was ferocious but he also placed it perfectly between two fielders about 15 metres apart.
As good as Bashir was in the first innings, this feels like a damaging spell in the context of the match and the series, maybe even the Ashes and the universe.
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63rd over: India 243-3 (Rahul 101, Pant 90) This is KL Rahul’s third century in Tests in England; he’s the first Asian opener to achieve that feat, and only Sunil Gavaskar has scored more runs overall.s
Now all eyes are on Pant, who has gone ballistic in the last hour. He hooks Carse round the corner for four more; a single off the last ball takes his tally to 45 in the last 23 balls. More importantly, India lead by 249.
Thanks Daniel, afternoon everyone. It’s been a pleasure to watch KL Rahul’s latest masterclass in how to open the batting in England. As batting becomes more aggressive and less orthodox, a classical hundred like this becomes even more appealing. Never mind Rishabh Pant; in the year 2025, KL Rahul is the real maverick.
Pant, meanwhile, is 18 runs away from becoming only the second wicketkeeper to make two centuries in the same Test. The first was Andy Flower against India during that preposterous purple patch in the early 2000s.
KL Rahul reaches his century!
62nd over: India 234-3 (Rahul 100, Pant 82) Bashir continues and Pant takes a single to cover, then Rahul does likewise to square leg. Then it’s back gto the old skool from the Indian keeper, another attempted drive sliced, running behind and to the fence for four. We can’t yet say the match is running away from England because of how well they chase, but the trouble is deepening and, as I type, Rahul drives to cover, runs two, and that is as competent and valuable a ton as you’ll see, calm, unhurried and understatedly commanding. Well expletive batted, old mate, well expletive batted.
So that is drinks and accordingly, here’s Rob Smyth to croon you through the inevitable procession.
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61st over: India 225-3 (Rahul 97, Pant 76) Carse charges in again, but we’re still to see him and Tongue, England’s best two bowlers today, in tandem. And, after four dots, he tries a short one … so Rahul chops down on it with a cut so late it’s almost posthumous, and the ball runs away for four. He’s now within one hit of a hundred, and the lead is 231.
60th over: India 221-3 (Rahul 93, Pant 76) And now Rahul is at it, pulling Bashir to deep backward square for four; Stokes can’t allow that, so the bowler must either find a way o holding down and end, or it’ll have to be quicks from both ends. In the meantime, though, it feels like India are making a decisive move, Pant thrashing over the top and picking out Woakes, but first bounce; they run two. Gosh, and next ball, he thwacks to mid-off, where a diving Stokes can impart but a hand. They run one, then another off the final delivery of the over.
59th over: India 212-3 (Rahul 87, Pant 73) Too late, in mine, Carse returns to face a Pant now seeing it, his loosener creeeaaaaamed through midwicket for four, and England are under pressure now – another hour of this and they’re in all sorts. India, meanwhile, though they’ve benefitted from some helpful edges, dodgy catching and iffy fields, have made it through the most challenging period, Rahul’s knock near-perfect.
58th over: India 206-3 (Rahul 86, Pant 68) Yeah. time’s up. A single to Rahul, then Pant waits for a fuller one, taking a stride then clouting six over long on; a dot follows, then Pant goes again but flatter … and that’s six more! “Rishabh Pant! Rishabh Pant!” chant India supporters in the crowd, and it looks like the man himself has decided that by, say, an hour before the close, India should be as close to out fo sight as possible. He actually goes again too, looking to attack the final ball of the over, but this time Bashir sees him coming, tosses it a bit wider, and a flasy to cover adds one more. FAOURTEEN OFF THE OPVER.
“The ‘Kraze for K’ exploded in the 1920s, teaches Andrew Goudie, “perhaps as a result of the enthusiasm for simplified spelling. In 1926 ‘Katherine the Komical Kow’ by June Norris was published, and we still have Rice Krispies, Kleenex etc. Otherwise K doesn’t start many words in English, and when it does it’s usually silent. Gabe Henry’s book ‘Enough is enuf: our failed attempts to make English eezier to spell’ is a good read if you need a break from the krikit.”
For me, it’ll always evoke old skool jungle.
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57th over: India 192-3 (Rahul 85, Pant 55) Heat from Tongue, who gets lift; Rahul handles it well, wearing ball on glove, then twizzles a fuller one that keeps lower off the pads, running one; good ball, good shot. So in charges Tongue again, Pant tries a run-down again … but that bounce means he catches it high, edging … through where second slip isn’t. Stokes, who put one in, looks extremely rueful – all the evidence tells us that behind the wicket is where catches come in Leeds – and Pant turns off the pads for two, raising his fifty in the process, before clobbering four to the point fence. He’s enjoying this now, and India’s lead is 198.
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56th over: India 180-3 (Rahul 84, Pant 45) Another tight over from Bashir, this time without the loose delivery, Rahul forcing the last of them to cover for one. I’d really, really like to see Carse back on.
55th over: India 179-3 (Rahul 83, Pant 45) And when Tongue goes around the wicket, finding a bit of away-movement, Pant does nicely to open the face and dab to deep third for four. Looking ahead at how things might move from here, India will want a full day tomorrow, but will also fancy two goes with a new ball, one of them tonight. With the lead at 185, they’ll need to up the pace at some point, while England might reckon that, if they are back batting an hour before the close, whatever the target is, it won’t be too daunting; Bumrah, on the other hand… Otherwise, though, Pant misses with another swipe, and however hard he tries to give his wicket away, somehow it won’t quite happen for him.
54th over: India 175-3 (Rahul 83, Pant 41) Rahul stretches a long way down the track to haul Bashir, his hair bouncing agreeably in the breeze, from outside off and for four to deep backward square. Those are the only runs from the over, and it feels like we’re waiting for the next significant slice of action, whether a wicket or Pant teeing-off.
53rd over: India 171-3 (Rahul 79, Pant 41) A single to Rahul, whose innings is slowly, yet rapidly, maturing into one that’s potentially definitive. So Pant has yet another wild mow, misses, and with Smith presumably distracted by the spectacle, teefs a bye. One more one completes the over, and though India aren’t serene, the match is now proceeding as they want it to.
52nd over: India 168-3 (Rahul 77, Pant 41) Bashir turns one away from Pant, then a fuller delivery is jammed to long-off for a single. A further single completes the scoring for the over, and I can’t help but wonder when we’ll see Carse, the best bowler today, again.
51st over: India 166-3 (Rahul 76, Pant 40) Tongue races in, Pant comes forward, and directs an edge directly to where the slips aren’t; as such, he adds four, then stretches to flay four more off the next ball. But really, no slips at all is something you almost never see, least of all at Headingley, and though I get the rationale – a field looking to incite Pant to try and clear it – not even one feels like a mistake, especially after a break. The lead is 171.
50th over: India 157-3 (Rahul 76, Pant 31) In comms, Broad mentioned that England reckon there’s more lift when bowling from the Kirkstall Lane end, which was where Tongue’s over was delivered from; I guess the plan is to rotate the quicks from there, with Bashir wheeling away from the Football Stand End. His first spell was pretty decent and this is a pretty decent start, save the overpitched delivery that Rahul flows to the fence at cover.
49th over: India 153-3 (Rahul 72, Pant 31) Tongue begins after the interval with England needing a wicket but aware that. with the score moving slowly, they’ve scope to work opportunities; Pant slashes at the first ball and misses by a way. Unusually for him, Stokes has gone for a defensive field, presumably seeking to frustrate Pant, and England duly begin the sesh with another maiden.
“Glastonbury recs?” begins Matt Dony. “I don’t know whether she’ll end up on iPlayer or not, but the Welsh singer Mali Hâf is performing on the BBC Introducing stage. She is a fantastic performer with a genuinely joyful stage presence, and good things seem to be happening around her at the moment. She won Huw Stephens’ Roundtable last week, which was exciting to hear, especially as the single was sung entirely in Welsh. Also very much looking forward to Ani Difranco. She can be truly coruscating live. A voice, an acoustic guitar, and righteous anger. Marvellous stuff.”
A rec from me, then: on Thursday night, check out Major League DJz for your Afrobeat and amapiano fix.
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Back come our teams...
Lunchtime email: “Reading about replacing letters in music and PJ and Duncan,” begins Adam Clark, “reminded me that the reason Let’s Get Ready To Rhumble has a superfluous ” is because they wanted to avoid copyright issues with Michael Buffer, the wrestling announcer, who’d trademarked the phrase. It’s also an extra four points in Scrabble/Skrabble.”
At least PJ & Duncan deployed an ampersand, unlike, say, Guns n’ Roses.
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Righto, I’m off for a break – I’ll be back in around half an hour. But don’t be without cricket in the meantime – join Tanya instead!
48th over: India 153-3 (Rahul 72, Pant 31) That slight delay means this Bashir over will probably be the last of the session and, after two dots, Stokes sticks Pope in at short leg. Pant responds by taking two to third man, three singles follow, and at lunch India lead by 159, having had the better of the morning. How crucial will Brook dropping Rahul turn out to be when we look back at this match?
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47th over: India 148-3 (Rahul 71, Pant 27) I guess Stokes will bowl himself through until lunch now, but Rahul is leaving him nicely … so of course, as I type, one sticks in the pitch, he’s early on it, and turns it into his own equipment. He takes a moment to recover, sees out a maiden, then gets on all fours until the dull yet sharp ache inside his lower abdomen that has him feeling like he might barf up his insides or die for evermore, subsides.
“The sound effect for the ‘reveal the mystery pop star’ round of First Class has given me severe flashbacks,” kvels Mark Hooper. “Sounds like it could be from an early Prodigy single!”
46th over: India 148-3 (Rahul 71, Pant 27) And, with 10 minutes to go until lunch, Stokes tosses Bashir the ball, as rain starts to fall; he begins well, with one that straightens past Pant’s bat, and you wonder for how long he’ll be allowed to bowl before patience is lost and hands are thrown.
“Now I want to know which of Darrien’s Strokes CDs Tom kept hold of,” returns Richard O’Hagan.” If it was ‘Is This It?’, ‘Room on Fire’ or even at a pinch ‘First Impressions of Earth’ then that’s understandable. If it is any of the later rubbish then Darrien probably left it behind on purpose.”
I’m afraid acceptable pop music died i March 2000, when I became 21. It’s quite a coincidence, I think you’ll agree.
45th over: India 146-3 (Rahul 70, Pant 27) You know what? Not only is this a terrific Test, but we’ve got four to come after it! Stokes swings in to Rahul and this is the ball he’s been waiting for: he drives to the cover boundary, raising the 50 partnership in the process. Extra bounce then has him fending off towards slip, and a pair of singles follow; England need to try something.
“The pseudonym?” returns Darrien Bold. “Rather prosaically, in my youth I was very good at Scrabble. Also, everyone loves replacing a C with a K – see Kris Kross and U Krazy Katz by PJ & Duncan – and a K (5) is worth more than a C (3) in Scrabble too.”
I guess by that rationale, I’d have been DJ Ba’al Koreh, if I’m being generous, and DJ Attention Seek if not.
44th over: India 140-3 (Rahul 65, Pant 25) Between overs, we see footage of Jofra Archer bowling in the County Championship, and how great it’d be to see him back in the Test team. I imagine he’ll need more cricket in him first – this is his first first-class game for four years – but all being well, we’ll see him this summer. A single to each batter opens this latest Tongue over, and three dots follow, then Pant fences at one … but again, the luck is with him and he misses. India’s lead is 146.
Talking of first class does anyone remember the quiz of the same name, hosted by Debbie Greenwood and featuring … hyper sports?! A disgrace that it was cruelly and callously pulled from our screens.
43rd over: India 138-3 (Rahul 64, Pant 25) Pant cross-bats wide of slip and they run a single, then a no ball adds another, before Stokes finds a little more lift, a surprised Rahul hitting into the ground. There’s not the same sense of danger as there was when Carse and Woakes were in tandem earlier.
42nd over: India 136-3 (Rahul 64, Pant 24) Rahul pulls to deep fine and they run two, then misses with an airy cut; Tongue’s bowling nicely, and I wonder if Stokes will try and get Carse back on so it’s those two in tandem. In the meantime, though, he’s hitting a really nice line, cramping the batter outside off, and the final delivery of the over tails in, but Rahul plays inside it – it’s like he’s got air tags on his off stump, so precisely can he judge its whereabouts.
“In response to the missive from the great Tom Madders in over 39,” responds Darrien Bold – that Darrien Bold, not one of the numerous others – “I can reveal that it is indeed I, DJ SKRABBLE, and it is such a delight to hear from Tom I am going to stick on Come On You Reds in celebration.”
Can we understand the genesis of the pseudonym, please?
41st over: India 134-3 (Rahul 62, Pant 24) Rahul twizzles a single to fine leg, then Pant guides an edge for a four that was a much more handsome shot than it looked. He’s into this now, his tempo adjusting to the situation; India lead by 140.
40th over: India 129-3 (Rahul 61, Pant 20) A single to Pant, who now looks more comfy at the crease, then Tongue goes over to Rahul, who defends twice then glances around the corner for one. England need a wicket.
I should say, by the way, that Come On You Reds features my favourite key-change of all time; behold!
39th over: India 127-3 (Rahul 60, Pant 19) Rahul takes a single wide of mid on, then Pant runs one down, a much better effort than pretty much every other scoring shot he’s played today. Then, bowling the final ball of the over, Stokes hits a crack, the ball lifting and spitting away. India lead by 133.
“Please can you find out if the Darrien Bold who wrote to you in over 26 to critique the deepness of your REM cut is the same Darrien Bold who used to go by the name DJ SKRABBLE?” requests Tom Madders. “This legend was known for dropping bangers like Status Quo’s ‘Come On You Reds’ and the theme tune to Grandstand in the middle of my indie club night to annoy hipsters and amuse himself. Anyway, I think I’ve still got his Strokes CD if he wants it.”
Let’s put our heads together…
38th over: India 125-3 (Rahul 59, Pant 18) Gosh, Sky are advertising a lunchtime interview with Anderson and Tendulkar, in that order; thoughts and prayers with the great Sunny. Tongue then replaces Woakes and naturally, Pant charges the new man without having a look at him first, hammering fresh air over the fence; again, the ball misses the stumps, the sense is growing that the luck is with him today. More generally, it was extremely gratifying to see Tongue clean up the India tail in the first dig – over the years, this has been a problem for various England teams, so a bowler able to target the stumps at pace is extremely useful. Anyroad, Pant then gets down the other end, before Rahul opens the face nicely to guide four wide of slip – that was Ronald-like, and there’s no higher compliment. But have a look! Just as we’re praising the batter’s discipline, he waves a bat at a wide one, looking to lift over slip, doesn’t apply requisite power, almost checking the shot … and Brook, looking to grab in front of his face, can only tip it over the bar. That wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t impossible either, and he’s there specifically to snaffle those.
37th over: India 118-3 (Rahul 54, Pant 17) Stokes begins with a leg bye for one, then one that moves in and away is expertly left – Rahul is at one with this pitch, reading it beautifully. A no ball follows, then deliveries outside off are ignored – this is a very patient knock, the batter determined not to give it away. That’s drinks and, though England made a great start, India will feel the’ve had the better of the first hour.
36th over: India 116-3 (Rahul 54, Pant 17) Pant’s been talking to himself a fair bit – I’m not sure he’s decided how to play this innings, caught between his natural game and stopping in. Thing is, if he just takes care not to give it away, he’ll score runs anyway because that’s what he does, and if a jaffa gets him, so be it – he’s no need to force anything. A single to each batter adds two to the total, and Stokes will now replace Carse.
Otherwise, here’s the best Glastonbury set I’ve seen.
35th over: India 114-3 (Rahul 53, Pant 16) Carse won’t have too many overs left in this spell but I like how wide he’s going to Pant – outside off temps him to flay, tighter tests his defence. Two dots eventuate, then two singles, before one that nips in beats the bat; it’s tempting to think this is the crucial partnership of the innings, but England have been burned by Jadeja too many times for that to feel like any kind of certainty.
34th over: India 112-3 (Rahul 52, Pant 15) Rahul pulls away as Woakes runs in – the second time that’s happened, and even the most mild-mannered man in the world is finding it nauseating. Another maiden, and it barely needs stating that if this Test was four days, we’d not be feeling like we’re feeling.
REVIEW! NOT OUT!
Stokes indicated there were two noises before going upstairs and he was right; the first was bat, the second pad. Pant, though, is playing like he wants to give his wicket away.
33rd over: India 112-3 (Rahul 52, Pant 15) Rahul turns a single into the on side, then Pant gets down on one knee to play another slog-sweep and instead scythes uglily over the cordon but will Root be able to catch up with it? Pant thinks he’s gawn, but the wind rescues him and that’s four more. He won’t get away with this indefinitely, but, and the lead is 118. Then, facing the final delivery of the over, Carse coming from around, Pant slides across to the off-side, looking to play a scoop, tumbles, ball hits body, and this has got to be close but was there an edge?! The umpire rejects the appeal, and will England review? Yes they will!
“To understand Sunil Gavaskar’s petty complaint on the naming of the trophy,” advises Krishnamoorthy V, “you need to understand something about Indians. From the very early stages it has been drilled into them that being first matters. You should cone first in academics, in the lemon and spoon race, in the drawing competition, in swimming, in quiz, wherever and in whatever. Doesn’t matter whether one merits it. It is seen as a birthright rather than something to strive for. Will it hard enough and it shall happen. Hence this obsession to be first everywhere, even someone as great as the original Little Master can’t escape that.”
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32nd over: India 107-3 (Rahul 51, Pant 11) Woakes goes around to Pant and directs a ball into the body, inciting a cry of anguish from the batter, who wears it in the dress circle. I wonder, though, if HE might go a little wide on the crease to really target off-stump … and while I’m doing that, Pant skips down to thrash back past the bowler for four. Already, I’m looking forward to seeing how Stokes and Tongue do in these conditions.
31st over: India 103-3 (Rahul 51, Pant 7) Another maiden from Carse, who might just be establishing himself as a fixture. He looks to me like the kind of bowler who might do well in Australia too – he’ll enjoy the bounce and has the pacer to drop back his length a little.
Glastonbury, then: “Thank you for mentioning the magic ‘G’ word and distracting me from drafting a rather boring agreement for ten minutes,” says Richard O’Hagan. “I think that the highlight of my viewing – from the comfort of my own sofa – will probably be the re-formed Maccabees on Sunday night. Sprints and TV on the Radio are always great live, and a special mention for Du Blonde because singer Beth Jeans Houghton always seems sweetly baffled that anyone pays her to do this. I guess that sums up most people’s approach to their job. We just don’t have to show it in public. Oh well, back to that agreement…”
Meantime, Henry Coleman offers thusly: “Because reviewing line-ups for festivals I cannot go to is my masochistic kink, I jumped at your invitation for Glastonbury recommendations, for which I have two:
- The Japanese Breakfast and Lucy Dacus b2b on the Park Stage on Saturday. Both released banging albums this year. Song recc, Talk by Lucy Dacus:
- Turnstile on the Other Stage on Sunday. Nominally a hardcore band but really these guys meld pop punk, synth pop, samba and more. Never Enough, the title track from their album, also released this year, is an absolute smasher:
And my final proposition is that 2025 may be a vintage year for alternative rock and indie as there have already been a ton of great albums this year. This prophecy is basically no use to anyone, including myself, but hey occasionally it’s nice to PROCLAIM.”
30th over: India 103-3 (Rahul 51, Pant 7) I can’t think of many sportsfolk I’ve written off more often than I’ve written off Chris Woakes – Raymond van Barnveld and John Higgins, perhaps. But he’s still so good and as I type, following a single to to Pant, he finds away movement off the seam, there’s nothing whatsoever Rahul can do, and the ball somehow misses the bails. There’s plenty in this pitch today, and much as England are enjoying it, the looming threat of Bumrah has John Williams’ music playing in ma heed. A single to Rahul completes the scoring for the over.
“Should even work in Bosnia,” offers Mike Barron, who sends us the TMS link.
29th over: India 101-3 (Rahul 50, Pant 6) Pant immediately gets himself down the other end, so Carse consoles himself by hurling a beauty down to Rahul – it swings in and beats the edge, again with just enough lift. But a full toss follows, an edge into the on side earning two and raising a crucial 50 for the man upon whom India will be relying to navigate this innings. A further excellent delivery follows, quick and just outside off; the lead is 107.
28th over: India 98-3 (Rahul 48, Pant 5) Woakes is attacking the stumps here – I’m not sure he respects Pant’s defence. But Pant, following that absurd hoik, is playing more watchfully now, leaving when he can before, after five dots, he stretches to shove a single into the off side – meaning he’ll be on strike when Crse returns in a moment. This is intense, and it’s only getting intenser.
“Lovely memories of being a young kid and exposed to REM for the first time,” writes Ryan Amesbury. “For me, via my Dad and his mate playing Out of Time and Automatic for the People on tape in the car, now I was old enough (9) to tag along on fishing trips, which were then still a spectator sport.
I’m currently on holiday in Bosnia, and both me and my wife have been struck down with a summer cold. I thought TMS would be just the ticket for an afternoon hiding from the Mostar sun… but… “This content isn’t available in your location…” quoth the website. No Five Live Sports Extra on the BBC Sounds app. What is the Beeb doing?! So I know the OBO isn’t a helpline, but I’ve tried turning it on and off again and that hasn’t worked. How do all the fine correspondents of the OBO and TMS itself around the globe manage VPNs?!”
27th over: India 97-3 (Rahul 48, Pant 4) I really enjoy the almost balletic nature of Carse’s gather – it’s almost a prink rather than a leap – and I’m sure helps him extract the bounce he’s getting this morning. Rahul actually rides it pretty well while, in comms, Stuart Broad notes how much he’d like to bowl on this, willing a grubber to really get the batters thinking. Maiden.
“I can understand the frustration with the naming of the series trophy,” consoles Brian Withington, “when it could so obviously have been the ‘Suni(l) Jim(my) Cup’ and to hell with alphabetical order.”
26th over: India 97-3 (Rahul 48, Pant 4) Woakes replaces Bashir and Rahul shoves a single to point; how is Pant going to play here? Ahahaha, I think we know the answer to that, the rivers of suggestion driving him away; he leaves his first ball, then unloads the suitcase at the next with such violence you half expect to see his arms flying over the boundary, but instead slices an edge over slip for four.
“Morning Daniel, morning everyone,” begins Darrien Bold. “Interesting that Pete says you reference an REM deep cut? The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite was a top 20 single (and a mainstay of Now 26), so there are clearly much deeper cuts to squeeze into the OBO. Anyway, I’ll get back to enjoying the commentary team reviewing the Aus SA final and hear about how the Test was won and where it got us.”
All part of life’s rich pageant, I’d say.
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WICKET! Gill b Carse 8 (India 92-3)
A huge moment! Carse has started well and Gill looks to play a run-down, but as he opens the face, the ball jags in and provokes him to play on! Now then!
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25th over: India 92-2 (Rahul 47, Gill 8) It’s going to be Crydon Barse, down the hill but into the wind, and I’m really glad he’s getting a proper go at Test cricket – you could see when he started playing ODIs that he had something. Anyroad, he’s charging in with intensity; Gill yanks him around the corner to deep backward square and they run two.
24th over: India 90-2 (Rahul 47, Gill 6) A dot to begin. The lead is 96.
Shoaib Bashir has the ball, and will finish off his over from last evening.
Here come our players…
“Beautiful test but India will be disappointed with themselves,” reckons Arul Kanhere. “With all due respect to Shardul, who has rescued both India and Mumbai from dire straits … India need a player who can get in on his primary skill and be handy with the secondary one. Shardul is helping with none at the moment." This could always come back to bite me in the ass if the top order collapses and Lord Thakur scores a century … beautiful game.”
“Maybe Sunil Gavaskar is still cheesed off at the Australia-India trophy being called Border-Gavaskar rather than Gavaskar-Border,” suggests Andy Flintoff, “because, obviously, he has the better record (AB averages 50.56, SG averages 51.12).”
That pesky alphabet again – though also worth noting AB has 39 Test wickets.
Email! “Thanks for the REM deep cut so early in the OBO,” writes Pete. “As a longtime tragic fan, I approve. I do dislike that song though. At their most annoying, alongside Shiny Happy People.”
It’s not one of my favourites either, but SHP has a place in my heart because it was, after Near Wild Heaven, the first REM song I heard and, aged 11, it moved me. What a band, though – at 46, I feel I can say that they are both my favourite and the best of my music-listening career.
On which point, if anyone has any Glastonbury recommendations, send em in.
Athers, meanwhile, notes that Dinesh Karthik was “part of the elite commentary panel” – notably, he was not, which is unusual. Perhaps he needs to get dapperer.
On Sky, they’re talking about the WTC final – and what an occasion that was. I was lucky enough to be there on days one and three, and it felt like the start of something. I can’t deny that on Friday morning, we felt Australia had more than enough runs, but as South Africa’s response developed, we realised that for Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma, this was it. The Aussie team and players have their legacies assured, but for these two, it was bringing this home or nothing, and watching them do it was so moving.
So let’s talk turkey: how many runs will India want? My sense is that, though the Headingley track generally gets better to bat on, the unusually clement will mean it’s crumblier and flakier than usual – ideal for Bumrah and not bad for Jadeja either. I reckon India will want 350, but my sense is England will either successfully chase almost any target they’re set, or get nowhere near anything sub sub sub sub substantial.
It’s windy and chilly in Leeds this morning which makes sense – generally speaking, the east of the country is cold, the west is rainy. Ian Ward has his anorak on, while Stuart Broad is in blazer and off-white drainpipe chinos. Just as well he’s got 604 Test wickets.
Do these two handsome devils look alike?
There’s something very sweet about one Little Master repping for another but … have you heard of the alphabet?
Sunil Gavaskar has criticised the renaming of the Test trophy between England and India, claiming that it should have been 'Tendulkar-Anderson' rather than 'Anderson-Tendulkar'.#ENGvIND #SunilGavaskar pic.twitter.com/tskQVjfeF7
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 23, 2025
Preamble
So, four-day Tests, then: who’s up for those?
I can’t lie, it’s tempting to leave this preamble there – and not just to avoid writing any more words because really, what kind of people would seek to curtail the world’s greatest sporting format? But the format itself and this particular iteration of it deserve better than a pithy line directed at those who would happily ruin it for money, so let’s also wonder about the actual contest.
It’s impossible to predict what’s going to happen from here. India look the likelier because Bumrah and a wearing day-five pitch sound like the most unpleasant double-act imaginable … except the ability of Baz n’ Ben’s Testvangelists to chase previously ungettable targets is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. It’d be no surprise to see India bat too long , just as it’d be none were the greatest bowler in the world to tear through England in a session.
In other words, it feels like the direction this match takes is up to the tourists. Of course, it’s possible England knock them over then knock off the runs, but far more likely that India set a testing target with all three results possible well into tomorrow.
And though a result some time on the final afternoon is part of the perfect Test pro forma, it’s not actually the most powerful argument in favour of keeping things as they are. Many great matches end sooner than the fifth day, but the potential existence of that fifth day necessarily impacts those which come before it. Our society primes us to constantly be seeking better and different, which is fine – as long as we can also recognise that sometimes, things are great as they are. And make no mistake, this is, and is going to be that.
Play: 11am BST
