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Cricket world in disbelief as England make 'ridiculous' Test history

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·5-min read
Jonny Bairstow (pictured right) and Joe Root (pictured left) embrace after England defeat India in the fifth cricket Test.
Jonny Bairstow (pictured right) and Joe Root (pictured left) have helped England chase down their greatest total ever in a remarkable cricket Test match at Edgbaston against India. (Getty Images)

The cricket world has watched on in utter disbelief as Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root helped England easily stroll to their biggest ever run chase to level a dramatic series against India.

England needed to record their biggest ever run chase after India set 378 at Edgbaston in the second innings and a breathtaking Day 4 from Root and Bairstow had them as favourites leading into the final sessions.

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And the in-form duo didn't falter on Day 5 as they secured the total without losing a wicket to send the 25,000 strong crowd into raptures.

Root went on to smash a masterly 142 not out, his 28th Test century, forging a mammoth 269-run partnership for the unbroken fourth wicket with Bairstow.

Root's elegant hundred was studded with 19 boundaries and a six.

Bairstow's unbeaten 114 was his second hundred of the match as England triumphed with two sessions to spare.

Bairstow picked up the man-of-the-match honours after scoring more than 200 runs across his two innings.

This marked England's biggest ever run chase.

The cricket world was once again quick to praise England's stunning run-chase, which has been common practice since Ben Stokes took over as captain and Brendan McCullum as the coach.

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Both Bairstow and Root have enjoyed phenomenal summers under the guidance of new captain Stokes and coach McCullum.

In particular, since his return to Test cricket at the end of the Ashes against Australia, Bairstow has been in devastating form.

Root, however, also hailed the efforts of openers Alex Lees and Zak Crawley, who put on 107 for the first wicket to lay the foundations for the win.

Virat Kohli (pictured) smiles during the trophy presentation after day five of the Fifth Test Match between England and India.
Virat Kohli (pictured) during the trophy presentation after day five of the Fifth Test Match between England and India. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

"So much credit has to go to the two lads at the top," said Root.

"The way they set the platform, the way they shifted pressure straight back on to India and smashed that new ball around on a wicket that was doing a bit was incredible batting."

England's previous highest successful run chase came in 2019 when they reached a 359-run target in an Ashes Test against Australia on the back of Ben Stokes's brilliant unbeaten century.

"We are trying to rewrite how Test cricket is being played, in England in particular," captain Stokes said of their new aggressive approach.

"We know that we want to give new life to Test cricket, and the support that we've had has been incredible. We are bringing a new set of fans to Test cricket. We want to leave a mark."

with AAP

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