India first team to lose Test match despite scoring five centuries

LEEDS: Despite scoring five centuries in the first test at Headingley, Leeds, India became the first team to lose a Test match, as England chased down the target of 371 to defeat them by five wickets in the first of the five-test match series.

India now has the most individual test hundreds in a losing cause. In the first test, India registered five centuries: Yashashvi Jaiswal 101 (159), Shubman Gill 147 (227), and Rishabh Pant 134 (178) in the first innings, followed by KL Rahul 137 (247) and Rishabh Pant 118 (140) in the second innings.

Only once before did a team lose a Test with four hundred – Australia against England at Melbourne in 1928. Chasing a target of 371, England needed 350 runs on the final day of the test match.

Only Australia (404) has successfully chased a higher total on the last scheduled day of a test match, against England on day five of the 1948 Headingley Test. The 835 runs that India made in the Headingley Test is the fourth highest for any team to end up on the losing side.

England and India scored 1673 runs in the first test, the highest for any Test match between the two sides. The previous highest was 1614 runs at Manchester in 1990, which ended in a draw.

Coming to the match, the final day saw England produce a near-flawless run chase. Led by Ben Duckett’s stunning 149 and key contributions from Zak Crawley, Joe Root and Jamie Smith, the hosts reached the target in just 82 overs, finishing at 373/5 to clinch a five-wicket win and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.

Duckett was awarded player of the match for his brilliance in the match.

Brief scores: India 471 & 364 (KL Rahul 137, Rishabh Pant 118; Josh Tongue 3/72) vs England 373/5 (Ben Duckett 149, Zak Crawley 65; Shardul Thakur 2/51). (ANI)