KL Rahul Calls The Shots In Field Setting Even With Shubman Gill On Field vs England. Internet Says, 'Captain'
KL Rahul took a proactive role on the field on the final day of the first India vs England Test in Leeds. Even as England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley looked like taking the game away form India, Rahul, according to several reports, took over the mantle of setting the fields though captain Shubmna Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant were on the field. Notably, Rahul is the senior-most member of the current Indian team after the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He could also be seen giving pep talk to the team.
pic.twitter.com/lVHZnd8cHe
— Atharb Media (@MediaAtharb) June 24, 2025
If you see the field now you will find out who is doing captaincy, it's KL Rahul.
- Naser Hussain pic.twitter.com/p7lIHV91Th
— DIGITAL SPORTS (@gyanudatt8) June 24, 2025
#SonySportsNetwork #GroundTumharaJeetHamari #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @KLRahul @prasidh43 pic.twitter.com/fNbb5rl39J
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) June 24, 2025
Talking about Day 5, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur pulled India back into the mix by scything wickets in quick succession to perfectly poise the final session with England 102 runs away from victory, while the tourists' six scalps away from robbing the hosts on day five of the opening Test at Headingley on Tuesday. After the end of the second session, England put 269/4 on the board, with Root and captain Stokes unbeaten with scores of 14(31) and 13(17), respectively.
India had its moments with Prasidh and Shardul's whirlwind, but England maintained its position in the driver's seat with a flurry of runs to stay at the top. Duckett and Zak Crawley continued to switch through gears, adding to the mounting woes of a beleaguered Indian team.
Jasprit Bumrah looked ineffective, Mohammed Siraj struggled to ask the right questions, and Prasidh Krishna remained in the hunt for his lost rhythm. However, India orchestrated a late comeback with Prasidh and Shardul's moments of magic.
Crawley bid his time with patience and pushed the ball for a single to bring up his hard-fought fifty. It was the first instance of both opening batters hitting 50-plus scores in the fourth innings of a Headingley Test.
The duo went on to raise an unbeaten 156-run partnership, the highest opening partnership in the fourth innings of a home Test for England, surpassing 154 between Geoffrey Boycott and Mike Brearley against Australia in Nottingham in 1977.
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