India vs England: Aakash Chopra is concerned about India's lower order

India find themselves in a commanding position after four days of gripping cricket in the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at Headingley, Leeds. The visitors have shown resilience and skill across all departments, placing themselves as frontrunners heading into the final day. However, they missed an opportunity to completely shut the door on England, as the lower-order batters failed to contribute significantly, falling short of adding valuable runs that could have pushed the target further out of reach. England are now left with a daunting task — chasing down 371 runs on Day 5 to snatch a memorable victory.

India vs England: Team India suffered batting collapses in both the innings of the Headingley Test

On the other hand, India need to take all 10 English wickets to seal a crucial win and go 1-0 up in the five-match series. While India are being viewed by many as the clear favourites, especially given the pressure of the final day and the turning pitch, there is still belief among England supporters that their team can pull off the improbable. With the aggressive 'Bazball' approach known for unsettling opponents, England’s batting unit will look to counterattack and rewrite the script. A thrilling finish awaits as both teams aim to draw first blood in what promises to be an intense Test series.

India appeared to be in complete control during the second session of Day 4, thanks to a magnificent 195-run partnership between KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant for the fourth wicket. At 287/3, the visitors looked well on course to set England an even more daunting target in a much shorter time frame. Both batters displayed exceptional composure and attacking intent, with Pant in particular playing a counter-attacking knock that kept the momentum firmly in India’s favour.

Pant’s brilliant innings came to an end just before Tea, as he was dismissed for an entertaining 118 off 140 deliveries — an effort that included 14 boundaries and two sixes. His dismissal proved to be the turning point, as India’s batting lineup unraveled in the final session. What could have been a commanding declaration or a lead closer to 400 instead ended with a sudden collapse. The visitors lost wickets at regular intervals and were eventually bowled out for 364. This marked the second batting collapse for India in the match — in the first innings, they had slumped dramatically, losing their last seven wickets for just 41 runs. These lapses with the bat have kept England alive heading into the final day, despite India’s overall dominance.

"Two incredible centuries, and two collapses. One collapse in the first innings, and one in the second. So many collapses, are we playing Jenga? Collapses have become a part of Indian cricket. Generally, everyone's tail wags, and our tail is so tiny. It ends as soon as it starts. So that is a problem. In the first innings, at one stage, it seemed like you would score 550-575, but it was not to be," stated former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra. 

"Here also, there were expectations of a lot of runs being scored, and that you would go far ahead, but it hasn't happened again because wickets fell one after the other, which included Karun Nair and Shardul Thakur. Ravindra Jadeja was playing, but we play with three or four No. 11s - Bumrah, Siraj, Prasidh. It hurts that Shardul has become like a No. 9," he explained.

Aakash Chopra believes that England will need to put in a tremendous effort on Day 5 if they are to chase down the target and win the Test match. The former cricketer and now commentator feels that the pitch is deteriorating and conditions will favour the bowlers, making it an uphill task for the hosts. While Chopra backed India as the favourites to clinch victory, he also acknowledged the chance of the match ending in a draw if England manage to bat cautiously and hold their ground. He emphasized that time will be a key factor and that scoring at a brisk pace won’t be easy. Importantly, Chopra highlighted the crucial role Ravindra Jadeja will have to play on the final day. With the ball expected to turn and bounce, the left-arm spinner could be India’s match-winner if he finds the right rhythm and applies pressure on the English batting line-up.

"England cannot win easily at all. Only one team can win easily, that is India. England will have to work very hard to win, but even a draw is a possibility. Ravindra Jadeja's performance might decide which direction this game goes. Jaddu had taken seven wickets in Chennai once, where Karun Nair had scored a triple hundred and KL Rahul scored 199," Chopra observed.