On June 24, 2025, India became the first cricket team to lose a Test match despite five of their batters scoring centuries, falling to England in a thrilling five-wicket victory at Headingley. Ben Duckett’s magnificent century powered England to chase 371 runs, the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history, securing a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant scored centuries in the first innings, with Pant and KL Rahul adding tons in the second. Despite this batting prowess, India’s defeat marked a historic anomaly, surpassing Australia’s 1928 record of four centuries in a losing Test against England. The match set another milestone with 1,673 runs scored, the highest aggregate in an England-India Test.
"This Test is the first in history where a side with five centurions has gone on to lose the game."
England pull off record chase against India at Headingley@cwjreynolds ✍️https://t.co/rIzmlLkuae
— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) June 24, 2025England’s chase was anchored by a 188-run opening stand between Duckett (149) and Zak Crawley (65). India fought back with quick wickets, including Duckett and Harry Brook in consecutive balls, but Joe Root’s unbeaten 53 and Jamie Smith’s match-sealing six ensured victory. India’s dropped catches and batting collapses, losing seven wickets for 41 runs in the first innings and six for 31 in the second, proved costly.
Captain Shubman Gill expressed disappointment but pride in his young team. “We had our chances. A few dropped catches and the lower order not contributing as much as we would like cost us,” Gill said in a post-match interview. “It just didn’t go our way in this match. We have to rectify the batting collapses in the upcoming matches.”
Read: Ben Duckett’s Century Powers England to Historic Test Win Over India
For England, the win bolsters confidence ahead of the Ashes, showcasing their ability to blend aggression with resilience. Duckett’s century, the first by an England opener in a fourth-innings chase since 2010, highlighted their depth. The loss exposes vulnerabilities for India despite their batting strength, urging improvements in fielding and lower-order contributions.
