KL Rahul, Pant register centuries to set England target of 371

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant Register Centuries to Set England Target of 371

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant's spectacular partnership set up a 371-run target for England on the penultimate day of the first Test in Headingley, Leeds. The duo stitched a 195-run partnership for the fourth wicket, keeping England at bay for the majority of two sessions on Day 4.

Rahul and Pant's Partnership

KL Rahul raised his first half-century of the series, while Pant came down the track to smash one past Chris Woakes. Pant remained in counterattacking mode, stepping down the track to thump Woakes for another boundary. England even burnt a review in their desperation to see the back of Pant, but Rahul remained calm and composed, biding his time.

Pant's Record-Breaking Century

Pant took charge against spinner Josh Tongue, smashing him for two sixes in an over to clearly signal his intentions. He then moved into the nineties but took his time to convert it into a historic hundred, becoming only the second wicketkeeper in history to register hundreds in both innings of a Test.

England's Fightback

England turned things around remarkably on the other side of Tea with the second new ball. KL Rahul was dismissed for 137, while Karun Nair was caught and bowled by Chris Woakes. Shardul Thakur edged the first ball to Joe Root at first slip, and Mohammad Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah both bagged ducks.

England's Target

England had 29 minutes of the half-an-hour extension to negotiate before Stumps, and they did so with aplomb – without taking any risks or looking in any sort of trouble. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley put on 21 for the unbroken opening stand as England went to stumps needing 350 more for an early lead in the five-match series.