India etched an unwanted record in Test cricket history, becoming the first team ever to lose a match despite five of its batters scoring centuries. The historic collapse came against England at Headingley, where the hosts chased down a mammoth 371 on the final day to clinch a stunning victory and go 1-0 up in the series.
Until now, no side had lost a Test despite four individual hundreds — a rare occurrence last witnessed in 1928 when Australia fell to England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. India, however, went one step further — and paid the price.
The architect of England’s remarkable win was opener Ben Duckett, who hammered a blazing 149 to set the tone for one of the most memorable comebacks in the format. Duckett, dropped on 97, made the most of his reprieve and stitched a 188-run opening partnership with Zak Crawley, who scored a patient 65 and was also let off on 42.
The duo’s counter-attacking stand neutralised India’s early advantage and exposed lapses in the visiting side’s fielding and bowling strategies. As the pitch flattened out and England’s confidence surged, India’s bowling unit failed to break through.
With momentum swinging decisively England’s way, India now face tough selection calls ahead of the next Test at Edgbaston. Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who was left out at Headingley, is likely to come into contention as India look to regroup quickly and bounce back in the series.
The loss serves as a wake-up call for India, underlining the fine margins in modern-day Test cricket — where even five centuries in an innings offer no guarantee of victory.
