India’s impressive score of 471 set a positive tone in the Headingley Test. After England lost Zak Crawley early, India appeared to be in command. However, a significant fielding error by Ravindra Jadeja, who dropped a catch off Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling, altered the game’s momentum. This lapse gave England a crucial advantage. The impact of Ben Duckett’s innings, after the missed catch, was considerable.
England, after losing an early wicket, struggled. Bumrah bowled well, creating wicket-taking opportunities. The critical moment was when England was at 39, and Duckett, on 15, offered a catch that Jadeja missed. This allowed England to form a partnership and increase their score. India’s fielding has been inconsistent, with Jadeja, Bumrah, and captain Shubman Gill making errors. At the time of reporting, England had scored 97 runs for the loss of 1 wicket, with Duckett and Ollie Pope in good form. India needs to break this partnership quickly to regain control.