IND vs ENG Test: 'We never gave India...' - England wicketkeeper reveals team's strategy at Headingley
England's Joe Root, left, and batting partner Jamie Smith leave the field after their win on day five of the first cricket test match against India at Headingley in Leeds, England, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith has revealed England's strategy after their stunning five-wicket win over India in Leeds. England are leading the five-match series 1-0.
'It was so measured and controlled throughout that we never gave them (India) a sniff. The really important thing is for the team to be quite ruthless: once you're on top, try to put them to bed,' the 24-year-old, who hit the winning runs at Headingley, was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
The second match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy will be played at Edgbaston, starting from July 2.
India Sweat it out at the Nets in Birmingham Ahead of the 2nd Test vs England
Talking about the batting philosophy of England's batting, Smith said: 'By keeping a core group of people throughout that cycle, what's happened is they've matured and learned and almost pushed their limits of what they can do.'
'We've seen some really special stuff over the course of the three years – 500 in a day and chasing down these totals has been incredibly pleasing and special for those guys, showing what can be done. This was a great example of where the team have got to, that we didn't give India a chance.
'Maybe in the past we would have still played that same way, but might have had a collapse that gave them a chance or a little in. But it was so measured and controlled throughout that we never gave them a sniff.
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The really important thing is for the team to be quite ruthless: once you're on top, try to put them to bed.'
Smith has been a pivotal part of England's batting line-up since they moved on from Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes. The youngster has already amassed 725 runs in 18 Test innings at a 73.08 strike rate, including a century and four fifties.
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The youngster dived deep about Bazball's philosophy and said it is not only about hitting sixes and boundaries.
'That's the impact of what this side's done, it's allowed the easy singles to go unnoticed because it feels like we're scoring so fast,' said Smith.
'But because the men are already out on the boundary, people are able to get off strike and that keeps the rate flowing. It's obviously nice to hit a few sixes rather than the ones, but you're just playing what's in front of you and thankfully at the minute, it seems to be coming off.
'Something that definitely took my game to the next level was having that belief from other people and that transfers on to you, especially when you're out there batting,' he added.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
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