The first Test between India and England at Headingley, Leeds, has seen some impressive performances from Team India — but not everyone has lived up to expectations.

Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur, two of India’s trusted all-rounders, have had a disappointing outing so far, contributing little with both bat and ball.

Below-Par Contributions with Bat

India posted a solid total of 471 in their first innings, thanks to superb centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147), and Rishabh Pant (134). At one stage, India looked set to cross the 500-run mark. However, the lower order faltered, with both Jadeja and Shardul failing to deliver when needed.

Ravindra Jadeja scored 11 runs off 15 balls

Shardul Thakur managed only 1 run off 8 balls

Their quick dismissals halted India's momentum and left valuable runs on the table.

The duo’s performance with the ball also left much to be desired. England, in response, posted 465 runs, trailing by just 6 runs. Despite being relied upon to provide breakthroughs or apply pressure, neither Jadeja nor Shardul took a single wicket in the innings.

India's bowling efforts were led by:

Jasprit Bumrah – 5 wickets

Prasidh Krishna – 3 wickets

Mohammed Siraj – 2 wickets

With both Jadeja and Shardul failing to make a mark in either discipline, their spots in the playing XI for the next Test may come under scrutiny.

Match remains finely balanced

India went into lunch on Day 4 at 153/3 in their second innings, holding a lead of 159 runs over England.

Resuming from an overnight score of 90/2, the visitors added 63 runs in the morning session while losing just one wicket.

Shubman Gill continued to anchor the innings, showing composure against disciplined English bowling. The pitch has begun to show signs of wear, with variable bounce adding to the challenge for batters.

England’s bowlers kept things tight but lacked breakthroughs. With two sessions left today, India will aim to stretch their lead beyond 300 and set up a final-day challenge for the hosts.