KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant struck brilliant centuries in contrasting styles to help India post 364 in their second innings and set England a daunting target of 371 in the opening Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at Headingley on Monday.
At stumps on Day 4, England had reached 21 without loss in six overs, leaving 350 runs to chase on the final day. With a deteriorating pitch and rain in the forecast, a thrilling finish awaits — with all four results still possible.
Blockbuster finish waiting tomorrow. When the Test started, I felt it was a beautiful batting wicket and it would go towards a draw. But the wicket’s played tricks. There’s been wear and tear, cracks have opened up, Jadeja will have rough to work with. A few balls have kicked up, and pace has generally slowed.
Rahul’s serene 137 (247 balls, 18x4) and Pant’s electric 118 (140 balls, 15x4, 3x6) formed the backbone of India’s innings. Their 195-run stand pulled India out of trouble after they lost Shubman Gill early for just eight runs, the centurion from the first innings falling to Brydon Carse under overcast skies.
Pant, as always, was an unpredictable force. He started adventurously, survived a few close calls — including a top edge and an overturned lbw — before shifting gears after lunch. Rahul, meanwhile, remained composed despite several play-and-miss moments, reaching his ninth Test century in measured style.
I’ve had a few partnerships with Rishabh. It’s hard for us to understand his mindset, so I just stay silent and let him be. You've got to chat with him, keep him relaxed.
Rahul, who has struggled in the past to convert starts, credited his recent success to a change in mindset and focused preparation with former batting coach Abhishek Nayar.
Not much has changed, I’m just calmer now, not chasing numbers. I’ve been in a ‘quality over quantity’ mindset. The work with Abhishek helped. Of course, the mid-30s average hurts, but I’ve stopped obsessing over stats.”
Pant, meanwhile, etched his name into history books. He became the first Indian wicketkeeper and only the second in the world after Andy Flower to score centuries in both innings of an away Test match. It was also the second time he and Rahul have scored centuries in the same partnership, the previous instance being at The Oval in 2018.
After Rahul and Pant’s departure, India’s innings crumbled — **losing their last six wickets for just 31 runs**. Karun Nair and Rahul added some late boundaries before Carse dismissed both. Then, **Josh Tongue struck thrice in a single over**, removing Thakur, Siraj, and Bumrah to finish with 3-72.
England’s openers Zak Crawley (12*) and Ben Duckett (9*) negotiated six overs before stumps, but with Jadeja’s rough to exploit and uneven bounce developing, they face a stern test.
Earlier in the day, Pant’s onslaught included a flurry of boundaries: three off Tongue after tea, followed by back-to-back sixes over Bashir’s head and long-on. He brought up his hundred off 130 balls and then smashed Root for 4-6-4 before falling to Bashir via a mis-hit slog-sweep caught by Crawley.
Despite the late collapse, India's bowlers now have the cushion of a 350-run lead, and with signs of turn and variable bounce, they’ll be optimistic about a final-day push.
Brief Scores: India 471 & 364 in 96 overs (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118; Josh Tongue 3-72, Brydon Carse 3-80) England 465 & 21/0 in 6 overs (Zak Crawley 12*, Ben Duckett 9*) India lead by 350 runs.
