Seven things we learned in Leeds, and how they’ll impact the series

Reflections on a Test match which had everything.

Headingley has been a fortress for England in recent years. And although yesterday’s mammoth run chase lacked the drama of 2019, it still ranks among England’s greatest Test victories.

The tenth-highest run chase in Test history, and England’s second-highest, was completed in 82 overs, with barely a wobble. Ben Duckett is in the process of becoming an all-format great for England, and by the time he was out, England were red hot favourites to win – though I’ll admit to a bout of nerves when Brook was dismissed without troubling the scorers.

Meanwhile India must be scratching their heads and wondering how on earth they managed to lose. They were 430-3 in the first innings, and 333-4 in the second, before collapsing both times. They became the first team in history to score five centuries in defeat.

But for four days, these two teams looked evenly matched – and equally flawed. Here are my key takeaways from Headingley, with an eye on what they tell us about how the series might play out.

1. Early signs of Bazball 2.0

Ben Stokes’s decision to bowl first looked terrible by stumps on the first day. It was a typically aggressive call, backing his team to chase down any target.

But there were signs England have refined their approach. We saw some unusually defensive field settings at times, and the openers played really quite sensibly for the first part of the chase.

The result more than vindicates the approach, and once again Stokes has got the best out of the resources at his disposal. Batting is England’s strength, and with hindsight it made perfect sense to use that strength when the pressure is on in the fourth innings.

2. Ollie Pope has massive balls

Players always say they don’t read the papers, and pay no attention to social media chatter. I don’t believe them for one moment. Ollie Pope must have been acutely aware of the speculation around Jacob Bethell. Acutely aware he was in danger of losing his number three spot.

All that makes his first innings century at Headingley even more impressive. To block out the fear of playing for your place, and bat the way he did required immense mental strength. I’m extremely impressed.

It looks like he’s reclaimed the right to bat at three for the rest of the series, and probably at least the start of the Ashes too. It seems Bethell will now have to wait for an injury before he can slot in.

3. Rishabh enters the GOAT chat

Pant is probably my favourite player in world cricket. When he’s at the crease I can’t take my eyes off him. You just never know what you’re going to get from one ball to the next. Unlike other players who might build an innings by playing themselves in, finding some fluency and then accelerating, Pant seemingly shakes his magic 8-ball and decides independently in each moment what he’s going to do, each ball seemingly unconnected to the last. His innings are seemingly a random mixture of outrageous attack and fastidious defence.

There’s method in the madness though. When Josh Tongue began his spell on the third afternoon, Pant danced down the pitch first ball and tried to leather it over mid-on. He missed, but the intention was clear – don’t let the new bowler settle into his spell. The next ball was played calmly to midwicket for a single.

Pant is now only the second wicketkeeper (Andy Flower was the first) to make a hundred in both innings of a Test match. He can almost certainly lay claim to being India’s greatest ever wicketkeeper batsman, and given he’s only 27, may finish his career contending with Flower and Adam Gilchrist for the right to be called the Greatest Of All Time.

4. Jasprit Bumrah will need broad shoulders

Let’s face it, Bumrah is carrying this Indian attack. Prasidh Krishna is an unfinished article – not saying he can’t become a test bowler in time, but he hasn’t yet found the consistency in line and length required at this level. England cashed in against him. Siraj is a fierce competitor but isn’t a world-beater. And I’m not even sure why Shardul Thakur was selected in the first place – he only bowled 16 overs across the two innings, and didn’t offer anything with the bat.

If they want to replace him with another all-rounder they could consider Nitish Kumar Reddy, though batting is his stronger suit, and he wasn’t trusted to bowl much in Australia. I think they should play Kuldeep Yadav – England’s record against left-arm spin, and especially wrist spin, isn’t great. Yes, it weakens the tail, but it could hardly get much worse.

5. England’s pace-bowling cupboard looks bare

England too have issues in the pace department. Woakes looked toothless at Headingley, too floaty and lacking the pace to trouble India’s batsmen. Carse bowled well given his inexperience, though both he and Josh Tongue are really change bowlers rather than openers. Tongue looked innocuous against the top order before ripping through the tail in both innings. They should both continue to improve for experience.

Plenty of eyes, mine included, turned to Chester-Le-Street, where Jofra Archer is playing his first red-ball game in donkeys’ years. It’s looking promising, but it’s a lot to ask him to drop straight into the Test team and lead the attack.

6. Spin will have a limited impact

I did wonder if the dry summer would make pitches more conducive to spin. But Jadeja and Bashir played only bit parts in Leeds, returning a combined 4-362.

Maybe it’s more that neither bowler is quite good enough to pose a real threat in English conditions. Bashir is still learning his trade and isn’t a world-class spinner – yet. Jadeja is an admirable all-round cricketer, but he averages 48 with the ball in England.

It seems their role will be to facilitate rotation of tired seamers, rather than posing a sustained wicket-taking threat. Things might change if India select Kuldeep Yadav. He’s rarely bowled outside the subcontinent, but he did take a first-innings five-fer at the SCG in 2019.

7. KL Rahul is a blast from the past

There were seven centuries in the match, plus a bludgeoning 99 from Harry Brook. But for all the brilliance of Pant, Jaiswal et al, my favourite knock was KL Rahul’s second-innings 137.

At times Rahul looked like a throwback to days gone by. Silky strokeplay to match the silky hair flowing from the back of his helmet, his languid cover drives reminded me of David Gower.

A more classical, technically correct counterpart to his flamboyant teammates, Rahul said afterwards that he’s a more relaxed character nowadays, and is enjoying his cricket all the more for it. He also admitted that his mid-30s average is still a source of discontent, but added that at this stage of his career he’s no longer focused on his numbers, only on winning games of cricket for his team.

Hopefully this newfound carefree attitude can continue to bear fruit, as he’s a wonderful player to watch.

And so to Birmingham, the scene of England’s highest ever chase – also against India – in that heady first summer of Stokes and McCullum. Edgbaston has a history of producing the tightest of finishes, and given these two teams are so well-matched, we could be in for another cracker.