India’s Collapse and Bumrah’s Firepower Flip Headingley Test as England Claws Back
Rishabh Pant dazzles, India stumble from 430/3 to 471 all out, and Ollie Pope’s gritty century steadies England’s fightback at Leeds
Leeds, June 21: This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. At 430 for 3, with Rishabh Pant doing Rishabh Pant things and Shubman Gill already back in the pavilion after a polished 147, India looked set to drop anchor and drown England in runs. The Headingley pitch was behaving. The crowd was quiet. Even the clouds seemed to be in India’s corner.
But cricket, as it often does, had other plans.
A Dream Morning Turns Into A Dust Cloud
India began the day with dominance written all over the scorecard. Gill, cool as you like, added just enough to turn his overnight century into 147. He was flowing. It wasn’t just runs, it was rhythm — the kind that makes a batter look untouchable. But one swing too many brought it to a sudden end — caught trying to clear the ropes, as if trying to stamp his name on the innings a little too hard.
Still, India weren’t rattled. Because Rishabh Pant was in beast mode.
He came out swinging, but not recklessly. It was measured madness. The sort of controlled chaos he’s perfected over the years. Short balls went flying, spinners were stepped into, and anything too full was met with that trademark Pant bottom-hand whip. His 134 off 125 was more than a stat. It was a statement.
He now holds more Test centuries than Dhoni. Think about that for a second.
By lunch, it felt like 550 was a formality. Maybe more. England looked exhausted, out of ideas, just waiting for the declaration.
And then it all unraveled.
Collapse With A Capital C
From 430 for 3 to 471 all out, in a little over an hour. Just like that.
Seven wickets. Forty-one runs. Gone.
Josh Tongue lit the spark. His figures — four wickets — don’t tell the full story. He bowled with bite, refusing to let India breathe once he sensed blood. Ben Stokes, who had looked a little out of rhythm until then, found something in the air. Or maybe just in himself. He took four too — hustled the lower order with cutters and short stuff. Every dismissal chipped away at the confidence India had built across four sessions.
India’s dressing room must’ve been stunned. The visitors still had a hefty total on the board — 471 in 113 overs is no joke — but the manner of the collapse changed everything. England walked off smiling. India looked like they’d just fumbled a match-winning catch.
England’s Reply: Early Jitters, Then Resistance
First over. Zak Crawley lasts six balls. Bumrah, tail up from the collapse, gets him with a classic outswinger. Edge. Slip. Done.
India’s seamers were buzzing. Mohammed Siraj got the ball to dart. Hardik Pandya wasn’t menacing, but he kept things tight. The conditions were there for the taking — cloudy, humid, with just enough bite off the pitch.
And yet, Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope just… held firm.
Duckett’s 62 off 94 won’t make any highlight reels, but it was exactly what England needed. He took blows, left well, and found gaps when they came. He did the ugly work so Pope could flourish.
And Pope? He was dropped early — a sitter, really — and India will lose sleep over it. But he made them pay.
His 100 not out off 131 wasn’t just about the runs. It was about character. The situation demanded patience, shot selection, clarity under pressure. Pope delivered all of it. He’s been in and out of this side more times than he’d like, but today, under gray skies and Indian pressure, he looked every bit a No. 3 built for Test cricket.
Joe Root chipped in with 28 before Bumrah nicked him off — Karun Nair with his second catch in the slips. Nair’s inclusion, by the way, has already paid off in the field, even if he hasn’t had a bat yet.
Harry Brook, who took a painful blow to the ribs from an accidental Duckett pull shot, survived a nervy 12-ball duck before stumps. But he’s out there. And England are still very much in this.
Bumrah Breaks Records, Again
He was relentless all day. Took three — Crawley, Duckett, Root — and every single one was earned.
The most telling stat? With 147 Test wickets in SENA countries, Jasprit Bumrah has now gone past Wasim Akram. That’s not just a record. That’s a legacy in motion. The man doesn’t just perform overseas — he owns the toughest pitches in world cricket.
There’s something about him when the ball’s talking. The wrists, the angle, the control — it all comes together like some kind of fast-bowling ballet.
And he’ll be key again tomorrow morning.
Where This Stands Now
At stumps on Day 2, England are 209/3 in 49 overs. They still trail by 262 runs, and that follow-on mark is looming. But with Pope looking immovable and Brook settling in, there’s enough backbone in this England side to bat deep.
Ben Stokes is still to come. Jamie Smith, the debutant wicketkeeper, can bat. And if the sun peeks out for even an hour, the ball might stop doing quite as much.
India, though, will be furious at the door they left open. They could’ve buried England. Instead, they’ve left themselves needing a big bowling day.
And Headingley, for all its history, isn’t done offering twists.
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Arun Upadhayay is a sports journalist and former district-level cricketer with over four years of experience in event production and digital content. Currently freelancing with the India Today Group, Arun brings a deep understanding of sports and storytelling. His work blends expert analysis, live event insights, and engaging coverage of the game.
- Arun Upadhayayhttps://hindustanherald.com/authors/arun/
- Arun Upadhayayhttps://hindustanherald.com/authors/arun/
- Arun Upadhayayhttps://hindustanherald.com/authors/arun/
- Arun Upadhayayhttps://hindustanherald.com/authors/arun/
