With 90 overs to play, 350 runs to get, and 10 wickets in hand, the first Test between India and England is set for a final-day finish that could swing either way. The skies are grey, the forecast winks at rain, but nothing can dampen the anticipation here.
Back on Day 2, during a morning cab ride to the ground, the driver clocked the accreditation hanging from my neck and smiled knowingly.
“Journalist, yeah? Big game today. But Stokes got it right,” he said, nodding with the quiet confidence only a local fan could carry.
“We chase superbly in the fourth innings. Only have to play out Bumrah. Stokesy’s a master chaser. I think you guys are going 1–0 down.”
There was no bravado in his voice—just belief rooted in memory. Headingley does that to people. Ask anyone who was here in 2019.
Now, as Day 5 approaches, that belief feels anything but misplaced. The target—350—is steep but not outlandish. The required rate is under four, and England’s batters, true to the Bazball blueprint, have routinely scored at over four an over. If Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley can survive the first hour, if Bumrah’s opening spell doesn’t cause damage, the pressure will swiftly shift to India.
The pitch? Still fair. The rough patches outside the right-hander’s off stump will offer Jadeja some grip, and there might be the odd one that bounces or kicks. But this isn’t a minefield. There are no demons—just challenges.
By the time the game starts, the stands will begin to fill—layered-up fans in their colourful jackets and costumes, clutching warm brews and buzzing with anticipation. This crowd doesn’t just watch; it sings, dances, chirps and banters. The moment England sniff a chance, the noise will rise. Every run will be cheered like a goal, every Indian appeal mocked with a grin, and every Stokes boundary embraced with a thunderclap of applause.
Five hours from now, we’ll know which way this story is beginning to bend. For now, it tilts ever so slightly in England’s favour.
A chase of 371 at this ground? In front of this crowd? If the script plays out, it won’t just be another Bazball win—it’ll be another Headingley chapter for the ages.