News
IPL
Women’s Premier League (WPL)
Features
Fantasy Cricket
Watch
Interviews
MP T20 League
Social Reactions
Betting Tips
Contact
Privacy Policy
Cookie Policy

Headingley Horror Not The First Nor The Last, India Have a 4th Innings Issue That Needs Addressing

Darpan Jain

The Headingley chase wasn’t an exception.

India were in a commanding position for most of the Headingley Test and would have fancied their chances of defending 371 in the fourth innings. However, a torrid bowling performance in the fourth innings allowed England to chase down the target with five wickets to spare. This was their second-highest chase ever and also the second-highest against India.

While chasing a mammoth target of 371 might look like an exception, the reality is a little different. India have had issues defending fourth-innings totals numerous times lately. And this is a collective failure.

Upcoming – t20 – South Mackay
India A Women tour of Australia, T20, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 01:30 PM IST
Australia A Women AUSA-W

India A Women INDA-W

Result – t20 – Central Delhi
Delhi Premier League , 2025
New Delhi Tigers NDT

172/6

East Delhi Riders EDR

174/3

East Delhi Riders beat New Delhi Tigers by 7 wickets

Upcoming – t20 – Central Delhi
Delhi Premier League , 2025
06 Aug 2025, 07:00 PM IST
North Delhi Strikers NDS

Outer Delhi Warriors ODW

Upcoming – t20 – Central Delhi
Delhi Premier League , 2025
07 Aug 2025, 02:00 PM IST
Purani Delhi 6 PD

West Delhi Lions WDL

Upcoming – t20 – Central Delhi
Delhi Premier League , 2025
07 Aug 2025, 07:00 PM IST
Central Delhi Kings CDK

South Delhi Superstarz SDS

Upcoming – t20 – Croatia
ECN Croatia-Cyprus, T20I 2025
07 Aug 2025, 12:30 PM IST
Croatia CRO

Cyprus CYP

Upcoming – t20 – Croatia
ECN Croatia-Cyprus, T20I 2025
07 Aug 2025, 05:00 PM IST
Croatia CRO

Cyprus CYP

Result – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
Wimbledon WIM

128/7

London County Cricket LCC

127/7

Wimbledon beat London County Cricket by 3 wickets

Result – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
Kreative Sports XI KSP

98/7

London County Cricket LCC

139/10

London County Cricket beat Kreative Sports XI by 41 runs

Toss – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
06 Aug 2025, 06:30 PM IST
Wimbledon WIM

CFS Pinnacle Pro CPP

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
06 Aug 2025, 08:45 PM IST
CFS Pinnacle Pro CPP

Kreative Sports XI KSP

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
06 Aug 2025, 10:45 PM IST
Wimbledon WIM

Kreative Sports XI KSP

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 02:30 PM IST
TBC TBC

TBC TBC

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 04:30 PM IST
TBC TBC

TBC TBC

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 06:30 PM IST
TBC TBC

TBC TBC

Upcoming – t10 – United Kingdom
ECS England, Wimbledon, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 08:45 PM IST
TBC TBC

TBC TBC

Live – oneday – Northern Ireland
England Domestic One-Day Cup, 2025
Surrey SURR

137/6

Leicestershire LEI

Live – oneday – Northern Ireland
England Domestic One-Day Cup, 2025
Middlesex MID

191/4

Somerset SOM

Upcoming – oneday – Northern Ireland
England Domestic One-Day Cup, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 03:30 PM IST
Sussex SUSS

Kent KENT

Upcoming – oneday – Neath
England Domestic One-Day Cup, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 03:30 PM IST
Glamorgan GLAM

Derbyshire DER

Upcoming – oneday – Northern Ireland
England Domestic One-Day Cup, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 03:30 PM IST
Nottinghamshire NOT

Worcestershire WOR

Upcoming – oneday – United Kingdom
England Domestic One-Day Cup, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 03:30 PM IST
Hampshire HAM

Essex ESS

Upcoming – t20 – Stockholms län
France tour of Sweden 2025
07 Aug 2025, 01:30 PM IST
Sweden SWE

France FRA

Result – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
Gauhati Town Club GTC

65/9

Guwahati Giants GUG

69/1

Guwahati Giants beat Gauhati Town Club by 9 wickets

Result – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
Bud Cricket Club BCC

98/10

City Cricket Club CCC

105/10

City Cricket Club beat Bud Cricket Club by 7 runs

Upcoming – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 09:00 AM IST
91 Yards Club 91YC

Navarang Club NVR

Upcoming – t20 – Kamrup Metropolitan
GTC Spring T20 Cup, 2nd Edition, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 01:15 PM IST
Nabajyoti Club NAJC

Gauhati Town Club GTC

Upcoming – t10 – Kuwait City
KCC T10 Summer League, 2025
06 Aug 2025, 10:15 PM IST
Kuwait Swedish KUMS

CECC CEC-A

Upcoming – t10 – Kuwait City
KCC T10 Summer League, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 12:15 AM IST
Phoenix Cricketers PCR

Bader & Nie Cricket Club BNC

Upcoming – t10 – Kuwait City
KCC T10 Summer League, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 10:15 PM IST
Bihar CC BCC

Gujrat Cricket Club GUJCC

Upcoming – t10 – Kuwait City
KCC T10 Summer League, 2025
08 Aug 2025, 12:15 AM IST
ACE KRM Panthers KRMPS

Khan Zalmi Kings KZK

Result – t20 – Klang
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
Selangor SEL

211/2

Melaka MEL

85/10

Selangor beat Melaka by 126 runs

Result – t20 – Kuala Lumpur
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
Johor JOR

128/4

Pahang PHG

127/8

Johor beat Pahang by 6 wickets

Result – t20 – Klang
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
Perak PRK

198/7

Penang PENG

98/8

Perak beat Penang by 100 runs

Result – t20 – Kuala Lumpur
MCA Men’s T20 Inter-State Championship, 2025
Kuala Lumpur KLPR

245/2

Putrajaya PUT

56/5

Kuala Lumpur beat Putrajaya by 76 runs (D/L) method

Result – t20 – Bengaluru
Maharani Trophy, 2025
Hubli Tigers Women HTW

163/5

Mangalore Dragons Women MDW

128/8

Hubli Tigers Women beat Mangalore Dragons Women by 35 runs

Result – t20 – Bengaluru
Maharani Trophy, 2025
Shivamogga Lioness Women SHLW

113/7

Mysore Warriors Women MWW

140/6

Mysore Warriors Women beat Shivamogga Lioness Women by 27 runs

Upcoming – t20 – Bengaluru
Maharani Trophy, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 09:45 AM IST
Bengaluru Blasters Women BBW

Hubli Tigers Women HTW

Upcoming – t20 – Bengaluru
Maharani Trophy, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 01:45 PM IST
Mysore Warriors Women MWW

Mangalore Dragons Women MDW

Upcoming – test – Bulawayo
New Zealand tour of Zimbabwe, Test, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 01:30 PM IST
Zimbabwe ZIM

New Zealand NZ

Upcoming – t20 – County Dublin
Pakistan Women tour of Ireland, 2025
06 Aug 2025, 08:30 PM IST
Ireland Women IRE-W

Pakistan Women PAK-W

Upcoming – 100-ball – Manchester
The Hundred Mens Competition 2025
06 Aug 2025, 11:00 PM IST
Manchester Originals MAO

Southern Brave SOB

Upcoming – 100-ball – Leeds
The Hundred Mens Competition 2025
07 Aug 2025, 11:00 PM IST
Northern Superchargers NOS

Welsh Fire WEF

Upcoming – 100-ball – Manchester
The Hundred Women’s Competition, 2025
06 Aug 2025, 07:30 PM IST
Manchester Originals Women MOW-W

Southern Brave Women SBW-W

Upcoming – 100-ball – Leeds
The Hundred Women’s Competition, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 07:30 PM IST
Northern Superchargers Women NOS-W

Welsh Fire Women WFW-W

Upcoming – t20 – Stockholms län
Viking Cup, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 02:00 PM IST
Austria AUST

Norway NOR

Upcoming – t20 – Stockholms län
Viking Cup, 2025
07 Aug 2025, 06:00 PM IST
Sweden SWE

France FRA

How India have made a trend of conceding targets in the fourth innings

Since 2021, India have the second-worst bowling average (28.93) in the fourth innings, only ahead of New Zealand (33.17). They have conceded 200+ ten times in the fourth innings, the second-most after Australia (11). Additionally, they have the joint second-most defeats (9) in the final dig, four of them came when the target was 200+.

We have filtered all bowlers who have bowled at least five times in the fourth innings since 2021. This reveals that India have the most bowlers (5) with an average of 30 or more. 55.55% of their bowlers fall in this criterion.

All Indian bowlers have struggled. Among all the bowlers to bowl at least 70 overs in the fourth innings since 2021, Mohammed Siraj (55.63) and Mohammed Shami (48.83) have the second and third-worst averages. Joe Root (71.25) is at the top, but he is not a specialist bowler.

Shardul Thakur (36.33) and Ravindra Jadeja (30.87) have been equally poor. While Bumrah (24.33) has been decent, he hasn’t exactly matched the lofty standards he has set for himself. Only Ravichandran Ashwin (18.96) has performed well, but he is not around anymore.

On comparing India’s performances in the first three innings to the final one, the problem becomes clear. Collectively, India have the best average (24.48) in the first three digs and the second-worst in the fourth one, as mentioned above. The average difference between the averages of the first three innings and the fourth innings paints a clear picture.

India have the biggest difference (4.45), followed by New Zealand (3.50) and Australia (0.37). They are the only teams with a higher average in the final turn than in the initial three. Bangladesh have the best difference (-8.89).

Real issues away from home

Fourth innings bowling has been an issue, but that’s mostly been away from home. Since 2021, India have the second-best average (21.02) in the final innings at home. In contrast, the away average stands at an abysmal 36.72, the second-worst after New Zealand (37.16).

At home, all bowlers, barring Siraj, average less than 30 among those with at least five outings. But away from home, only Ravichandran Ashwin (27.50) averages less than 30. As many as five bowlers have averaged more than 30, including Jasprit Bumrah (31.71).

Seven out of ten 200+ totals India have conceded are away from home. India failed to defend 378 and 371 against England and 240 and 212 against South Africa during this period. They even conceded 324 against Bangladesh, but fortunately, the target (513) was too big for the opponent.

ALSO READ:

The issues will exacerbate now that Ashwin has retired, Shami is injury-prone, and Ishant is no longer in the plans. These three provided control and wickets when the pitch deteriorated and were the most prominent reasons behind India’s immense success at home and away. The current crop of fast bowlers have shown a lack of control, prominently on display at Headingley this week as England won a Test match by acing just one out of five days.

This Headingley chase isn’t an exception, rather it highlighted a longstanding problem that is slowly but surely starting to become noticeable. England have shown a tendency to bowl first in the Bazball era, and given India’s issues while defending targets, they might exploit more in the upcoming matches of the Anderson-Tendulkar series.

For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram, and YouTube.

A cricket nerd.

Read more