Half Chances, Missed Doors: How India Let England Back Into the Test at Headingley

Half Chances, Missed Doors: How India Let England Back Into the Test at Headingley

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A Ritual of Hope and Habit

As the post-Tea session of the Headingley Test resumed, a quiet ritual played out between overs. Jasprit Bumrah would meet Karun Nair midway as he strode in from fine leg. Nair would take his cap and pass it to the umpire — a simple act, yet one that carried the weight of superstition. The game was at a crossroads. England, at 129 for 2, had already weathered a Bumrah burst before Tea under a thick, overcast sky.
India needed their talisman to tilt the balance. And almost instantly, Bumrah conjured a moment. He got Ollie Pope, who was on 60, to play an indecisive steer to gully — a half-chance that should have stuck. But it didn’t. Yashasvi Jaiswal couldn’t hold on. It was the 31st over’s final ball. This time, the umpire returned the cap directly to Bumrah. The pacer buried his face in it. Alone in disappointment, until Rishabh Pant jogged over from afar to offer a quiet hug.
That moment encapsulated India’s day: close, but not close enough. The knocks came, but the door was never properly shut. Instead, it stayed slightly ajar — just wide enough for England to peek in and see hope.

Half Chances, Missed Doors: How India Let England Back Into the Test at Headingley

A Collapse That Changed the Narrative

Earlier in the day, India had the match in their grip. At 430 for 3, it was their game to dictate. Three batters had scored centuries, and a total well past 500 seemed a given. But then came a familiar unraveling — a collapse of 7 for 41. From absolute control to being bowled out for 471.
In terms of statistics, it was the lowest total ever to contain three separate hundreds in Test history. Symbolically, it was a sign of India’s recurring struggle to land the final punch. They’ve been here before: Edgbaston in 2022, Hyderabad and Vizag in 2024. Situations where India could’ve batted England out of the contest — but didn’t. At home, their bowlers often bail them out. However, the margin for mistake significantly reduces abroad, particularly when Bumrah is not surrounded by a good supporting cast.

England Smell Blood, Bumrah Strikes Back

England, led by the fearless duo of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, thrive on these moments. They scrap, chase, and resist pressure. Against such opponents, you need to control the tempo from ball one — or better yet, shut them out before they settle. India had that opportunity. But they let it slip.
Still, 471 is a good score. India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak downplayed the collapse, calling it “something that can happen.” Ironically, the collapse gave India the advantage of bowling under cloud cover with a lively Dukes ball. Bumrah, always ready, didn’t need assistance — but the overhead conditions made him even deadlier. The first over saw the removal of Zak Crawley. Ben Duckett survived but was handed a reprieve after Jadeja, uncharacteristically off-colour, dropped a sitter.

England Counter, India Stumble Again

England batted like they always do: quickly, deliberately, and relentlessly. Duckett notched a half-century, while Ollie Pope remained unbeaten on a solid 100. Around them, India’s bowling support floundered.
In 13 overs, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur bled 79 runs. Prasidh stuck to a short length, which allowed England to sit back. Thakur, curiously underused, didn’t bowl until the 40th over and had little impact. Mohammed Siraj, after an unsure start and issues with his boots, returned fired-up in his later spells, but without any luck.
India’s new on-field captain, Shubman Gill, got his first real lesson in Test leadership. He had spoken about “seizing big moments.” On this day, he saw plenty — but India let too many of them slip away.

Half Chances, Missed Doors: How India Let England Back Into the Test at Headingley

Bumrah’s Final Burst, and the Bittersweet End

As the day drew to a close, India summoned their ace once more. Bumrah, with one last surge, got Joe Root out for the tenth time in Tests — a remarkable personal feat. Then, he rattled Harry Brook with a nasty short ball that seemed to have ended the day perfectly for India.
But the joy was short-lived. The umpire, after a brief check with the third official, announced it was a no-ball. Bumrah had overstepped. That last, lunging effort had gone just a little too far — a poetic metaphor for India’s entire day.
India still hold the edge, but it’s a slimmer one than they should have. They could have buried England. Instead, they offered them a way back. And in modern Test cricket, especially against this new-age English side, that might be all it takes.

Verdict:

India are ahead — just not far enough.
A day that could have been about dominance ended in doubt. The door was open. England walked through.

 

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