England completed an irresponsible chase of 378 runs on the final morning of the fifth Test at Edgbaston to beat India in quick time.
Centuries from Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow gave England their highest successful pursuit in Test cricket and the ninth-highest chase in the game’s history. Root and Bairstow, needing another 119 runs overnight at 259-3, pulled off incredible ease to hand England a memorable seven-wicket win, one of their biggest ever.
Bairstow’s unbeaten 114 was his second century of the match, while Root scored an unbeaten 142 in an unbroken partnership of 269 runs.
He took England to new heights under new captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, turning into a scintillating summer.
The win ensures that the series postponed last summer ends in a 2-2 draw, but more importantly, it is the most extensive validation of England’s ultra-positive approach to Test cricket.
Their next series is with South Africa in August, while a completely different team led by new white-ball captain Jos Buttler will play the first of three T20Is against India on Thursday.