ENG vs IND 2025: Ben Stokes praises 'unbelievable' Ben Duckett for Headingley heroics

England captain Ben Stokes lauded opener Ben Duckett for his match-winning performance in the first Test against India at Headingley, Leeds, on June 24. The left-handed batter played a pivotal role, scoring a brilliant 149 off 170 deliveries, an innings that proved decisive in England’s five-wicket victory in the series opener.

The hosts were chasing a daunting target of 371 in the fourth innings and reached the total in 82 overs, marking their second-highest successful chase in Test history. Jamie Smith sealed the win in style, launching the ball into the stands to complete a thrilling run chase and give England a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

"We've got some good memories here over the last few years, and this is another one to add to it. It was an awesome Test match to be part of, going down to the last hour on day five and chasing a big total. Pretty special start to the series," Stokes told Sky Sports Cricket.

"Duckett was unbelievable. The pressure of the fourth innings is tough, and batting is hard enough, especially in England. So that partnership between Zak [Crawley] and Duckett was just incredible, they set us up brilliantly," Stokes added.

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Stokes highlighted that the driving force behind England’s successful chase was the commanding 188-run opening partnership between Duckett and Zak Crawley, which laid a solid foundation for the team to reach the target on Day 5.

"Those two complement each other so well. Duckett has got the big score that contributed towards us winning this game, but I thought the way Crawley was able to stay composed and stay in the moment was also very important to this win," Stokes said.

After winning the toss, Stokes opted to bowl first, a decision that initially backfired as India posted a first-innings total of 471. But, things eventually turned in England’s favour, as they staged a remarkable comeback to secure a five-wicket victory on the final day.

"You don't know what's going to happen before a ball has been bowled. You've got to go with what you think is going to give you the best chance of winning the game, and it's a good job that Test cricket is played over five days. We were trying to think about what would give us the best opportunity to win this game," Stokes said.

"The wicket here on day one looked like there was a bit of grass on top of it, and there was a bit of moisture underneath it. We backed ourselves to win that toss and bowl first, and try to strike a couple of early poles," he added.

India produced five centuries in their first innings, from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), KL Rahul (137), Shubman Gill (147), and Rishabh Pant, who scored twin tons (134 and 118). Despite the strong batting display, England capitalised on India’s missed opportunities in the field, particularly the dropped catches, and turned the game around to register a dominant win in Leeds.

"There's no doubt that chasing down totals does give you confidence as a team. But it doesn't mean that is how it's always going to go. The opposition lads played well. This is international-level cricket, where the quality of players on either side is very good, and we bowled pretty well in that first session, but India as well, I thought they played incredibly well on day one,” Stokes concluded.