India continued to assert dominance on Day 4 of the 1st Test against England at Headingley, Leeds, with the visitors reaching 253/3 in their second innings. Led by KL Rahul’s stoic 106 (off 210 balls) and Rishabh Pant’s aggressive 95* (off 111 balls), India now hold a commanding 259-run lead with more than a day’s play remaining.
This comes on the back of a formidable 161-run unbeaten stand between Rahul and Pant, frustrating the English bowlers who are yet to break through in the second session. Shoaib Bashir and Brydon Carse, despite their efforts, have failed to pick up a wicket as India’s scoring rate held steady at 3.87 runs per over.
As the game heads into a crucial final phase, history doesn’t favour England. The highest successful chase at Headingley remains Australia’s 404/3 in 1948. Since then, even England’s dramatic 359-run chase in 2019 and the recent 254/7 chase in 2023 stand out, but none exceed India’s current lead.
Here’s a quick look at the top successful run chases at Headingley:
| Rank | Team | Target | Score | Overs | RPO | Opponent | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 404 | 404/3 | 114.1 | 3.53 | England | 1948 |
| 2 | England | 359 | 362/9 | 125.4 | 2.88 | Australia | 2019 |
| 3 | West Indies | 322 | 322/5 | 91.2 | 3.52 | England | 2017 |
| 4 | England | 315 | 315/4 | 73.2 | 4.29 | Australia | 2001 |
| 5 | England | 296 | 296/3 | 54.2 | 5.44 | New Zealand | 2022 |
| 6 | England | 251 | 254/7 | 50.0 | 5.08 | Australia | 2023 |
| 7 | England | 219 | 219/7 | 80.2 | 2.72 | Pakistan | 1982 |
| 8 | England | 184 | 186/5 | 52.4 | 3.53 | South Africa | 1929 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 180 | 180/7 | 50.4 | 3.55 | Australia | 2010 |
| 10 | West Indies | 128 | 131/2 | 32.3 | 4.03 | England | 1984 |
With India’s lead stretching beyond several of these records, the challenge for England is monumental. If they are to pull off a miracle, it would demand one of the greatest fourth-innings performances in Test history.
