Afterblowing away India’s tailfor the second time in the game, pocketing a three-wicket maiden in the process, Josh Tongue said England were confident of scoringthe 371 runs they need to claim victoryin the opening Test, insisting: “With our batting lineup we can chase anything.”
England survived six overs before stumps to reach 21 without loss, leaving 350 to get on what is forecast to be a rain-affected final day. Should they reach their target it would be the highest successful run chase at Headingley – or for that matter anywhere in England – for 77 years, beating by nine the 362 they scored inthe extraordinary Ashes encounter here in 2019.
“We’re really confident,” Tongue said. “If you look at our batting lineup it’s obviously very strong. We play a positive brand of cricket. So I think chasing 371 is going to be a good thing for us to do. I feel like with that batting lineup we can chase down anything. Their bowlers are obviously going to bowl well in periods of the game. It’s just soaking up that pressure and then reapplying it back on to them.
“We’ll go for the win. That’s the clear message in the changing room. It’s just being as positive as we can. I don’t see why we can’t chase that down.”
Tongue said of the wicket that “when they were batting it flattened out”, but KL Rahul, one of two Indian centurions alongside Rishabh Pant, said that had not been his experience across 247 balls at the crease. Forecasting “a blockbuster finish”, he warned England that their aggression could be their undoing.
“There’s definitely going to be a result. That’s what England have said very openly and their style of cricket suggests that,” he said. “That gives us a good opportunity to pick up 10 wickets. It was a very tricky wicket – I spent a lot of time batting out there and I didn’t feel set at all at any stage. With this wicket you never know what to expect.”
Though both enjoyed considerable success Rahul’s precise strokeplay contrasted markedly with the charismatic and unconventional approach of Pant. “You just stand there and admire and sometimes scratch your head about the shot selection and the cricket that he plays,” Rahul said.
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“He’s a unique player and you just let him be. He obviously has a method to his batting, which none of us understands but it seems to work for him. You just let him be Rishabh Pant.”