What is England’s highest successful Test run-chase under Bazball ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test?

England are on the lookout to script history again as they face a daunting 371-run target in the first Test against India at Headingley, Leeds. The team have showcased confidence when it comes to chasing, right from the very first series against New Zealand in 2022, when Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum first took charge of the side.

Ever since the inception of Bazball, England have won 11 Tests by chasing. The only occasion where they have failed to hunt down a fourth innings score at home was during the second Test of the 2023 Ashes against Australia at Lord's.

Among all the potent run chases that the side have made over the last three years, their crowning achievement comes in the form of the record-breaking 378-run effort against India at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Centuries from Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow in the fourth innings helped England secure a seven-wicket win in the rescheduled fifth Test of the 2021 Pataudi Trophy, ending the series level at 2-2.

Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja's rescue act had helped India post 416 runs in the first innings, while the bowlers backed up to bowl England out for 284.

The Men in Blue were skittled out for 245 in the second innings, but were firm favorites courtesy of their mammoth lead. Alex Lees and Zak Crawley took on the opposition bowling to showcase their intent, and set the tempo and platform with a dominant 107-run partnership for the opening wicket.

Although England slipped to 109-3 after losing three wickets in less than three overs, they did not turn back after that. Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow registered an unbeaten 269-run partnership to guide the team across the line.

The monumental run chase is the nation's highest successful run chase in Test cricket, surpassing their 359-run effort against Australia in the 2019 Ashes at Headingley.

"Ben before the toss said we're not going to bat, we're going to chase... so much credit to the two lads at the top, smashed that ball around on a wicket that was doing a bit. A sublime partnership against a world-class attack. The feeling in the dressing-room is whatever you get, we're going to take it on," Joe Root had said after the historic win (via ESPN Cricinfo).

Jonny Bairstow was adjudged player of the match for his twin hundreds in the contest.

England need 351 more runs to win the ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test in Leeds

The Ben Stokes-led side had to deal with a tricky phase of play after inducing yet another Indian lower-order collapse. After being set a target of 371, the opening pair of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett successfully dealt with a short burst by the Indian pacers to reach 21-0 at Stumps on Day 4.

England have not lost at Headingley since 2017, when West Indies chased down 322 in the final innings to secure a five-wicket win.

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Edited by Gokul Nair