Ben Duckett Brilliance puts England with a chance of victory in the sensational test

Ben Duckett’s majestic 149 put England on the right track for another series of Headingley heroists while they were trying to finish a remarkable pursuit against India during the first test.

The registered office of Yorkshire has witnessed scandalous shows over the years, with Ashes Classics in 1981, 2019 and 2023, and England needed another when the tourists set them 371 to win this opening match of the captivating series.

Only once, they never hunted more – 378 against the same opponents at Edgbaston in 2022 – but a sensational blow from Duckett saw them on the way at 269 for four with a remaining session.

He shared a brilliant opening stand of 188 with Zak Crawley (65) to charge England, but India has brought back into the fight by rejecting each of the first four in a hard stay between lunch and tea.

Duckett and Harry Brook came out of successive bullets from Shardul Thakur, anonymous, to raise the stakes, leaving Joe Root and Ben Stokes in charge with 102 points to obtain.

Duckett struck a border of stimulating the morale of the key man Jasprit Bumrah in the first above the day – one of the three in the first 45 minutes – but also survived a magic bullet which unleashed in front of his outer edge by a whisper.

England was satisfied with 42 points at the opening time, content to stifle the charge of India, and totaled 96 for the session while they put the querors.

Duckett has spoiled scoops attempts twice, but responded on each occasion by sending the next ball for four, a clean blow through extra-covers and a pivoting traction to 50. Crawley removed his own attacker instincts, but triggered a crunch coverage reader to bring the partnership to a hundred.

Zak Crawley famous to reach his half-century — Zak Crawley provided excellent support for Ben Duckett (Danny Lawson / PA)

The repeated calls of India to change the ball were finally taken into account, but although the replacement created a chance – Crawley pushing a low return to Bumrah out of 42 – it did not take place.

The afternoon started with drunk spots in the air and the spotlights in action, but the first two in England advanced. Bumrah went up to the end of Kirkstall Lane but disclosed a few first four, Duckett spinning him on the ground and Crawley whipping the square of his hips.

Each counter without supreme lodge was a victory for England, in particular with rating options opening at the other end. India was impatient to strengthen the pressure through Ravira Jadeja’s rotation, but Duckett’s inverted scanning was the perfect weapon to cancel the veteran.

The left -hander reached 97 before being mistaken, on board, at the head of Mohammed Siraj, but his luck was as Yashasvi Jaiswal let the Balle Grasse slip through his fingers. It was a third bad drop of the game for Jaiswal and the sympathy was low from Siraj, which launched the lawn with angry.

Mohammed Siraj reacts by putting his hands behind his head after a quasi-manca — Mohammed Siraj cut a frustrated figure (Danny Lawson / PA)

Duckett accepted the gift, checking his hundreds with a trademark through the cover. The showers forced a 20 -minute interruption and when the game resumed, India late found a path in the battle.

Prasidh Krishna was not lucky against Duckett but hit twice in successive overs while he was looking at the end of the non-state. Crawley’s hard stay ended when he cut an alternation to slide and the first boost, Ollie Pope was overthrown for eight by a cutter.

Meanwhile, Duckett went. He had an answer for all the arrivals, above all Krishna in front of Gully, pulling Bumrah precisely between two collaborators and whisking Jadeja for a remarkable six years.

Thakur changed the game, but he did the trick for his side, persuading Duckett to choose the man with the blanket, then being caught Brook for a golden duck with a lucky strangle leg.