Josh Tongue has insisted there is no situation in which England would see a draw as a good outcome in their first Test with India.

England will begin the fifth and final day at Headingley needing 350 runs to win the first Test after Tongue's late burst stunned the tourists in their second innings.

India were led by brilliant centuries from KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant on Monday, but collapsed to 364 all out to give England a glimmer of hope in the contest. 

Should England pull off a win, it would be their second-highest successful pursuit in a Test, seven short of their record chase against the same opposition at Edgbaston in 2022. 

Under captain Ben Stokes, England have drawn just one of their 36 matches, which came in their third Ashes Test in 2023 at Old Trafford. 

But, asked if there was any scenario where a draw would be a good result, Tongue said: "No. I think we'll just go for the win. That's the clear message in the changing room."

The tail removal specialist. pic.twitter.com/No8nQrM555

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 23, 2025

Headingley also has a reputation for extraordinary finishes, often favouring the teams that have chosen to bat last. 

Indeed, six totals in excess of 250 have been successfully chased down at Headingley, more than any other venue in the world apart from the Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

Four of those Leeds chases have come in the past eight years, including the Stokes-inspired overhauling of 359 to beat Australia in an Ashes classic in 2019.

Asked whether a draw had been discussed, Tongue said: "Hopefully we're not in that situation anyway.

"We'll try and be as positive as we can in that first session, then see where we are at lunch - then we'll take things from there.

"With our batting line-up I feel we can chase down anything.

"Their bowlers are going to bowl well in periods, but it's about soaking up that pressure and putting it back on the bowlers. I don't see why we can't chase it.

"Obviously, we're really confident. If you look at our batting line-up, it's very strong. We play a positive brand of cricket."

Indian batter Rahul was one of the standout performers with his knock of 137, which was backed up by Pant's entertaining score of 118 from his 140 deliveries. 

Pant (134 and 118) became the first Indian batter to score multiple centuries in a Test match in England. He's also the fourth Indian batter to score multiple tons in a Test match in a SENA nation, after Vijay Hazare, Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli. 

And in Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Rahul and Pant (twice), the Indian batters have scored a combined five centuries in the ongoing first Test, the first time they have done so in a Test match and the first time any visiting nation has done so in a game in England. 

5 - India batters have scored a combined five centuries in the ongoing game at Headingley (@ybj_19, @ShubmanGill, @klrahul and @RishabhPant17 twice), the first time they have done so in a Test match and the first time any visiting nation has done so in a game in England. Assured. pic.twitter.com/M3P9wQqkcf

— OptaJeev (@OptaJeev) June 23, 2025

Rahul was also asked if there was a scenario where his team would see a draw as a good result and replied: "I agree with Josh Tongue.

"It's a blockbuster finish waiting tomorrow. There's definitely going to be a result.

"That's what England have said very openly and their style of cricket suggests that as well. That gives us a good opportunity to pick up 10 wickets."