Following the crucial wicket of England skipper Ben Stokes on Day 5 at Headingley, an unusual but amusing incident featuring KL Rahul added a lighter moment to an intense Test match. After Stokes fell to Shardul Thakur and Shubman Gill celebrated the catch passionately, Jamie Smith walked in to bat. However, before he could even take strike, Joe Root’s bat and helmet, left on the pitch, caught KL Rahul’s attention. The Indian opener strolled up, picked up Root’s bat, and even mimicked a few shadow shots, drawing chuckles from fans online and the crowd alike. Umpire Chris Gaffaney had to step in to ensure proceedings continued smoothly, asking Rahul to return the bat. At 33, Rahul’s solid knocks will go a long way in helping India over the five-match Test series set to play out till August 4. Rahul, who opened for India in this Test, made valuable contributions in both innings. He scored 42 from 78 balls in the first and followed it up with a vital 137 off 247 balls in the third innings, anchoring India’s effort alongside Rishabh Pant’s explosive 118 from 140.Their efforts pushed India to 364 in 96 overs, though the tail crumbled late on Day 4 under relentless pressure from the English bowlers.
England, chasing 364, have made light work of what could have been a tricky target, powered by Ben Duckett’s superb 149 and Zak Crawley’s fluent 65. The pair etched their names into the record books with the highest opening stand by an English pair at Headingley, setting the tone for what has been a commanding final day from the hosts.
