England Beats India in Record Chase at Headingley: Gambhir Supports Bowlers

England scripted a remarkable five-wicket win over India in the first Test at Headingley on Tuesday, chasing down 371 in record-breaking fashion to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. The hosts became the first team in over 60,000 first-class matches to concede five individual hundreds and still emerge victorious.

It was a day of milestones and heartbreaks. India posted a mammoth 835 runs across their two innings, with Rishabh Pant smashing centuries in both - only the second wicketkeeper in Test history to do so. Yet, collapses of 7 for 41 in the first innings and 6 for 31 in the second proved fatal, allowing England to stay in the hunt.

Ben Duckett's blistering 149 set the tone, while Joe Root (53*) and debutant Jamie Smith (44*) polished off the chase with a calm, unbeaten 71-run stand. Smith fittingly sealed the win with a six, as England romped home at 373/5 in just 82 overs.

India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir chose to focus on the positives and refused to single out the bowling unit for blame. He emphasized the need to back the players and build a strong fast bowling battery. Gambhir also highlighted India’s failure with the bat as a key reason for the loss, admitting that a stronger first innings total could have made a difference.

Despite the loss, Gambhir stressed the importance of unity, stating, \"We just didn’t lose the Test because of our tail. We lose together, win together.\" He supported Shubman Gill’s leadership in his maiden Test as captain and urged patience and support for the young player.

With the second Test beginning July 2 in Birmingham, India will look to regroup and show perseverance rather than panic, according to Gambhir.

According to the source: Times of India.