England's star batter Jos Buttler expressed his confidence in the Three Lions' batting prowess, asserting that they would have comfortably chased down a target of 450 runs, even if India had managed to set such a formidable total in the first Test. England chased down the target of 371 runs to hand India a five-wicket defeat in the series opener at Headingley. The wicketkeeper-batter's remarks came in response to a query during a chat, where he was asked about the maximum target England would have felt capable of chasing. Buttler confidently stated that England's red-ball unit possessed the ability to chase down 450 runs with relative ease.
The Ben Stokes-led England cricket team secured a remarkable victory, marking a sensational start to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. At the Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds, the Three Lions staged a dramatic turnaround in the latter half of the Test match, demonstrating clinical brilliance with their bowling. They managed to restrict Team India to a chaseable total in their second innings, allowing England to cruise to victory on the fifth day of the match.
Reflecting on the emphatic win, an elated Jos Buttler reiterated his belief that the English batsmen could have successfully chased down the target, even if it had been set as high as 450 runs.
"I think it would've come down to time, but even if they were chasing 450, they'd have given it a go. They cruised at 370. It would seem a really fast-scoring ground there at Headingley as well. Even if it was 450, they'd have had to take more risks, which obviously brings in the opportunities for more wickets for India. But they would have given it a great go," Jos Buttler said during his appearance in For The Love Of Cricket Podcast.
England's dominance with the bat in the previous Test was stark, leaving Team India frustrated by their subpar fielding and ineffective bowling attack. Furthermore, Shubman Gill's leadership abilities have come under scrutiny following the defeat. After the disappointing loss at Headingley, Team India will be aiming for a turnaround in the upcoming Test at Birmingham. The relatively young and dynamic Indian side will travel to Edgbaston, a ground where India has historically struggled to secure a victory, making the challenge even greater. Adding to their difficulties, there is uncertainty surrounding the availability of their key strike bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, who had taken a five-wicket haul in England's first innings. In Bumrah's potential absence, the team's head coach and captain will face a crucial decision on whether to bring in Arshdeep Singh or Akash Deep for this critical encounter.
The second Test match between India and England is scheduled to get underway on July 2 at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.