Ton-Up Yashasvi Jaiswal Makes England Toil In First Test As India Take Control

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Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored a century in his first Test in England; Shubman Gill hits unbeaten fifty, putting India in control at Headingley.
Star India batter Yashasvi Jaiswal celebrated his first Test innings in England with a splendid hundred, while skipper Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten half-century, putting India in command of the series opener at Headingley on Friday.
India dominated most of the morning session after being sent in to bat but lost two quick wickets, finishing the session at 92/2.
By tea on Day 1 of the opening Test in the five-match series, India had regained control, standing at 215/2, with Jaiswal not out on 100.
Gill, in his debut innings as captain after Rohit Sharma's retirement, was in excellent form as well, unbeaten on 58.
Jaiswal and Gill had till now shared an unbroken stand of 123 runs in less than 26 overs, with India navigating the second session without losing a wicket.
England skipper Ben Stokes' decision to bowl, influenced by the fact that the last six Tests at Headingley were won by the side batting second, meant that England avoided facing ace India pacer Jasprit Bumrah at the start.
It permitted England the opportunity to exploit an Indian top order missing the experienced Rohit and ace batter Virat Kohli, who both retired from Tests in May.
An England attack missing retired legends James Anderson and Stuart Broad, as well as injured pacers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, posed little threat on a good track.
Chris Woakes, returning from an ankle injury, took the new ball in place of the injured Gus Atkinson, with Brydon Carse making his home debut as the other change from the side that defeated Zimbabwe.
Jaiswal and Rahul capitalised on loose balls as India started their pursuit of a fourth Test series victory in England, having won in 1971, 1986, and 2007.
Approaching a hundred stand, England struck twice. Rahul, on 42, drove at a wide ball from Carse, edging to Joe Root at first slip. After number three, Sai Sudharsan joined the list of batters making a duck on Test debut when he was caught by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith off Stokes.
India's third-wicket duo regained momentum with a hundred partnership marked by sublime strokeplay. Gill targeted Woakes, driving and cutting him for commanding fours before reaching his fastest Test half-century.
Stokes introduced Shoaib Bashir to add variety to the attack, but Jaiswal dispatched the latter's first delivery through the covers for a boundary.
Jaiswal appeared to suffer from cramps but reached 99 with two fours off Carse. A quick single brought him to a 144-ball century, including 16 boundaries, marking his fifth hundred in 20 Tests and third against England.
Before play, both sides and match officials observed a minute's silence for the victims of an Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed all but one of the 242 people on board.
First Published:
June 20, 2025, 21:28 IST