By Stephan Shemilt – Chief Cricket Reporter

Who still doubts Ben Stokes?

When England’s captain opted to field first in the opening Test against India, many questioned his decision. But as Tuesday’s dramatic chase under overcast skies followed Friday’s toil under a blazing sun, Stokes was once again vindicated.

This Headingley victory may not quite match the drama of 2019’s miracle or Botham’s heroics in 1981, but successfully chasing 371 runs with relative ease has etched another chapter into the stadium’s rich history. Ben Duckett, with a swashbuckling 149, became the latest hero, and perhaps a future mural subject for the elusive Burley Banksy.

Stokes had his reasons: Headingley is the only venue in Test cricket over the past 14 years where batting has statistically gotten easier as matches progress. Still, 371 is a daunting target. With a cracked pitch, Jasprit Bumrah firing rockets, and Ravindra Jadeja finding turn, England were far from favourites.

Yet, chasing has become England’s signature move under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. On home soil, they now prefer batting second unless conditions scream otherwise. Stokes rarely says “we’ll bowl” at the toss—it’s always “we’ll have a chase.”

Since he took the reins in 2022, England have batted second in nine of ten home Tests after winning the toss. The result? Seven wins, one draw (the rain-ruined Ashes Test at Old Trafford), and just one defeat—the only time they batted first.

This might not even be their finest chase. Classics at Trent Bridge (vs New Zealand), Edgbaston (vs India), and last year’s Ashes thriller at Headingley all rival it. But it’s the way they chased this time that impressed most.

England scored at 4.54 runs per over—aggressive yet measured. They shifted gears smartly, balancing attack and caution, just as they did against Zimbabwe earlier this year. Former captain Michael Vaughan called it “Bazball with brains.”

That intelligence makes them such a hard team to beat. India piled up 835 runs and still lost—a feat only topped three times in Test history. Astonishingly, all three defeats came at the hands of Stokes’ England.

Before his captaincy, no team had lost after scoring more than 775 runs in a Test for 74 years. It’s now happened four times in just three years.

England’s success is fuelled by perhaps the most formidable batting lineup in world cricket. Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley have silenced their critics. Joe Root and Harry Brook top the world rankings. Duckett, after his finest innings in an England shirt, has joined them in the top 10.

Remarkably, Duckett now boasts a better average as an opener than both Sir Alastair Cook and Sir Andrew Strauss. “Arise, Sir Ben of the Bucket Hat,” some joked. Reflecting on his innings, Duckett admitted a shift in mindset: “I was trying to focus on key moments. Maybe it’s a bit of maturity kicking in.”

Still, England have areas to improve. Stokes looked short of rhythm—unsurprising given he’s only batted three times since December—and hasn’t scored a Test hundred in nearly two years.

More concerning is the bowling. Aside from Stokes and Brydon Carse, the attack lacked bite on day one. Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue found form later, and Tongue—nicknamed “The Mop”—cleaned up India’s tail in both innings.

The biggest question mark lingers over off-spinner Shoaib Bashir. With match figures of 3-190, he failed to consistently trouble India’s batters, and all his wickets came from deep-field catches. While Stokes is sure to back the young spinner, his performances will be under scrutiny.

This Test marked the start of a defining phase for England. While Stokes downplays any talk of the Ashes this winter, the signs are promising.

“Ben and Baz have created an incredible atmosphere,” Vaughan observed. “They play like they’re in their back garden—even when the pressure is at its peak.”

If this form continues, England could head to Australia with a settled and confident top seven—the key to their last successful Ashes campaign.

Meanwhile, across the globe, Australia begin their post-World Test Championship rebuild against the West Indies in Barbados. With Steve Smith injured and Marnus Labuschagne dropped, they’ll field an unfamiliar top order. Usman Khawaja and 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas open, while Josh Inglis steps into the No. 4 role with just one previous first-class outing there.

But as for England? Their pursuit of excellence—and opponents—continues. And right now, no total looks safe.