Sanjay Manjrekar, a former Indian cricketer, commended England’s batting strategy for defying the long-held perception in Test cricket that chasing a large score in the last innings is virtually impossible. On Day 5 of the first Test against India at Headingley in Leeds, the hosts chased down a target of 371 and won by five wickets in the continuing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Manjrekar praised the Ben Stokes-led side for defying conventional thinking and completing a successful chase. With a stunning 149, opener Ben Duckett led England to their second-highest successful run chase in Test history.
“Hats off to this England team, captained by Ben Stokes. They’ve taken what was once considered a Test cricket taboo, chasing 250 or 300 in the final innings, and utterly turned it on its head. Regardless of pitch conditions or circumstances, they have confronted that mindset and stated, “We are going to think differently.” “They’ve started treating those goals as attainable,” Manjrekar remarked on JioHotstar.
“And guess what? Even on Day 5, the fielding team feels additional pressure because they are now responsible for ensuring a win. That’s a mindset shift. Once you start challenging long-held beliefs and inherited wisdom, you’ll need batters like the ones we saw today to pull it off. “Joe Root, of course, is always there when England is chasing something big,” he said.
Sanjay Manjrekar highlighted Duckett and Zak Crawley’s assured performance as laying a great basis for the pursuit. He commented that, while the Indian seamers gave their all, the pitch provided little assistance, making it tough for them to break through.
“However, Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley did an excellent job laying the groundwork. Unfortunately for India, I must mention that the pitch became entirely flat throughout the morning session. Bumrah gave it everything, as did the other seamers, but the surface simply fell asleep. It suddenly began to play like an Arun Jaitley Stadium day-five pitch, absolutely dead. And that’s what made India’s task of winning the game so much more difficult,” the former Indian cricketer said.
Joe Root is one of the all-time greats. Sanjay Manjrekar
Manjrekar also spoke about Joe Root’s undefeated 53-run match-winning knock during the chase. He lauded Root as one of the game’s greats, emphasising that while many other players struggled, Root stood steady at the crease and held the fort for his teammates.
“He’s made this a habit, even in another medium. He recently played a magnificent innings in 50-over cricket, remaining 160 not out in a large run chase, with the next best contribution being approximately 50 or 60. That is Joe Root, one of the all-time greats. It’s great to see players like Joe Root and Kane Williamson in Test cricket. We don’t get to see them enough in this part of the world, and when we do, we’re reminded of the level of batters competing all over the world,” Manjrekar said.
Manjrekar praised Root’s control on the crucial final day, noting that his calm presence at the crease not only demonstrated his talent but also helped soothe the worries of the other England players.
“A couple of years ago, Williamson played some of the greatest Test innings ever, and here was Root once again demonstrating his brilliance, how easily he saw England through. They’d just lost Ben Stokes. If India had managed to get Root at that juncture, there would have been some confusion and worry in the England camp. But Joe Root has his roots firmly planted in the pitch. Once he’s settled in, he’s really difficult to move. “That is what makes him so unique,” he said.
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