Leeds, June 25, 2025 — England captain Ben Stokes has defended his bold decision to field first in the opening Test against India, saying the result proved that Test cricket remains a game of patience and moments.
His comments came after England pulled off a stunning chase of 371 to win the first Test at Headingley and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The decision to insert India on a sunlit Day 1 raised eyebrows among commentators and fans alike, with conditions appearing perfect for batting.
India capitalised on the opportunity, piling up a formidable 430-3 by the end of the first day, led by centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. At that point, the pressure was firmly on Stokes and his team.
However, England’s bowlers struck back on the second morning, eventually bowling India out for 498. What followed was a gutsy and disciplined effort with the bat, culminating in a record-breaking run chase on the fifth day, thanks largely to Ben Duckett’s blistering 149.
Speaking to BBC’s Test Match Special after the dramatic finish, Stokes said: “It’s a good job Test cricket is played over five days. You make a decision and you don’t know what is going to happen. We did what we needed to do in the crucial moments of this game.”
He credited not just the skill of his players but also their mindset. “This win is not down to just the skill, but the attitude of this dressing room,” he said.
Stokes’ choice to field wasn’t entirely unexpected. Since taking over as Test captain in 2022, he has consistently opted to field first in home Tests. Of the 10 tosses England have won under his leadership on home soil, they have chosen to field on nine occasions.
The record speaks for itself: seven wins, one loss, and one draw — the latter being the rain-affected Ashes Test at Old Trafford in 2023, which England were dominating before weather intervened.
Statistically, Headingley has supported Stokes’ logic. Since 2011, among 81 Test venues, Leeds stands out as the only ground where batting progressively improves across innings.
Teams have averaged more runs per wicket in each subsequent innings, making it an unusually favorable ground for chasing. England’s successful pursuit of 371 runs in the final innings was their second-highest in Test history, bettered only by the 378 they chased against India at Edgbaston in 2022.
Duckett’s rapid 149 from just 145 balls was the innings’ highlight, turning the match on its head and demoralising an Indian attack that had dominated for large parts of the game.
With momentum firmly on their side, England will head into the second Test with renewed confidence, while India will be left ruing missed opportunities after such a commanding start.
As Stokes and his side showed once again, in Test cricket, it’s not how you start — it’s how you finish.