{"id":211912,"date":"2025-06-25T01:52:16","date_gmt":"2025-06-25T01:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/211912\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T01:52:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T01:52:16","slug":"england-vs-india-captain-ben-stokes-hails-ben-ducketts-ton-as-hosts-make-more-magic-at-headingley-cricket-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/211912\/","title":{"rendered":"England vs India: Captain Ben Stokes hails Ben Duckett’s ton as hosts make more magic at Headingley | Cricket News"},"content":{"rendered":"

England captain Ben Stokes hailed Ben Duckett’s outstanding performance as the hosts made more magical memories at Headingley.<\/p>\n

England beat India by five wickets in the first Test in Leeds to lead the series 1-0 after Duckett notched a brilliant 149 as the hosts chased 371 in 82 overs.<\/p>\n

It brought back memories of Stokes’ Headingley heroics in 2019, when his Ashes-saving century helped England stun Australia, but this time around it was Joe Root (53no) and Jamie Smith (44no) hitting the winning runs, with the Surrey wicketkeeper-batter smashing Ravindra Jadeja (1-104) over long-on for six to seal the deal.<\/p>\n

“We’ve got some good memories here over the last few years and this is another one to add to it,” Stokes told Sky Sports Cricket.<\/p>\n

“It was an awesome Test match to be part of, going down to the last hour on day five and chasing a big total. Pretty special start to the series.<\/p>\n

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\"Ben<\/p>\n

Highlights from the fifth day of the first Test between England and India from Headingley<\/p>\n

“Duckett was unbelievable. The pressure of the fourth innings is tough and batting is hard enough, especially in England. So that partnership between Zak [Crawley] and Duckett was just incredible, they set us up brilliantly.<\/p>\n

“Those two complement each other so well. Duckett has got the big score that contributed towards us winning this game, but I thought the way Crawley was able to stay composed and stay in the moment was also very important to this win.”<\/p>\n

On day one of the Test, when England won the toss and elected to bowl, their decision to insert India on a dry pitch was called “interesting” by Sky Sports’ Michael Atherton.<\/p>\n

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\"Pant<\/p>\n

Rishabh Pant has been reprimanded by the ICC for showing dissent towards umpire Paul Reiffel<\/p>\n

“It was a really interesting call [at the toss]. All the numbers say bowl – the last six wins here have come from the team bowling first,” Atherton said on day one.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

“But cricketing common sense says, ‘it’s a hot day and it’s 30 degrees over the next couple of days’.<\/p>\n

“I think in the end Stokes has gone with the stats, what the pitch has done here at Headingley this year – it hasn’t deteriorated in county games – and also England’s strength: they don’t mind a chase.”<\/p>\n

Speaking about the toss after securing the win, Stokes said: “You don’t know what’s going to happen before a ball has been bowled.<\/p>\n

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\"Tongue<\/p>\n

Josh Tongue took three wickets in four deliveries during day four of the first Test for England against India<\/p>\n

“You’ve got to go with what you think is going to give you the best chance of winning the game and it’s a good job Test cricket is played over five days.<\/p>\n

“We were trying to think about what would give us the best opportunity to win this game and the wicket here on day one looked like there was a bit of grass on top of it, and there was a bit of moisture underneath it.<\/p>\n

“We backed ourselves to win that toss and bowl first, and try and strike a couple of early poles.<\/p>\n

“The opposition lads played well. This is international-level cricket, where the quality of players on either side is very good, and we bowled pretty well in that first session, but India as well, I thought they played incredibly well on day one.”<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

England captain Ben Stokes says he has no regrets over his decision to bowl first against India at Headingley after a ‘special’ run chase gave his side victory by five wickets<\/p>\n

Despite India’s players hitting five centuries – Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), KL Rahul (137) and Rishabh Pant (134 and 118) – under new captain Gill, they were left to rue their dropped catches and misfields as England completed their second-highest run chase, reaffirming their belief they can go after big totals.<\/p>\n

“There’s no doubt that chasing down totals does give you confidence as a team,” Stokes said. “But it doesn’t mean that is how it’s always going to go.<\/p>\n

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\"Ben<\/p>\n

Player of the Match Ben Duckett said not overthinking was crucial in England reaching their 371-run target<\/p>\n

“Having confidence in this dressing room that we are able to win against quality opposition, like we have done quite a number of times now, fills this dressing room with confidence, but we’re not always going to be in that situation.<\/p>\n

“We might be stuck into bat first and we might have to bowl the team out as well, which has a different pressure of its own.<\/p>\n

“It’s been a great start to the series and we’ve got four more hard games coming up.”<\/p>\n

Broad: England never doubt they can win <\/p>\n

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\"Jamie<\/p>\n

Jamie Smith completed England\u2019s second-highest run chase in style with a huge six to take a 1-0 lead in their series against India<\/p>\n

Sky Sports’ Stuart Broad said England would never have been in doubt that they could win the first Test against India, even when pace bowler Shardul Thakur (2-51) struck twice in the same number of balls.<\/p>\n

“There will be a lot of celebrations but there would have been a belief all day that they could get that job done,” Broad said on Sky Sports Cricket.<\/p>\n

“It was a sensational run chase. Duckett was absolutely outstanding.<\/p>\n

“It’s just incredible how this team keeps doing this. They needed 370 runs to win a Test match on a day-five pitch and did it quite calmly.<\/p>\n

“It’s a wonderful feeling when you win a Test match like that, when in reality India had so many opportunities to put this game to bed.<\/p>\n

“But England just scrapped and fought hard for the four days, and then showed their best today.”<\/p>\n

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\"Shubman<\/p>\n

Ben Stokes attempted the reverse sweep off Ravindra Jadeja but did not connect properly and top-edged to Shubman Gill at short third<\/p>\n

Watch the second Test between England and India from Edgbaston, live on Sky Sports Cricket from Wednesday July 2, or stream with no contract<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

England vs India Test series \u2600\ufe0f<\/p>\n

All games at 11am UK and Ireland; all live on Sky Sports<\/strong><\/p>\n