Leeds: It was a red-letter day for Indian cricket fans as Team India stamped their authority on the opening day of the first Test against England at Headingley. Riding on a dazzling century from captain Shubman Gill (127*), a record-breaking ton by Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), and a composed unbeaten 65 from Rishabh Pant, India ended Day 1 in command at 359/3, their highest-ever first-day Test score on English soil.
India won the toss and opted to bat, and openers Jaiswal and KL Rahul provided a strong start, stitching together a 91-run stand. Rahul looked fluent for his 42 before being dismissed just before lunch, leaving India at 92/2. The afternoon session, however, was all about India’s dominance. Jaiswal and Gill added 123 runs off 154 balls, blunting the English attack which struggled for breakthroughs.
Jaiswal, the stylish left-hander, continued his fine form against England, notching up his century in 159 balls. His innings, adorned with 16 fours and a six, set the tone for India’s big total. Although he was dismissed shortly after Tea by England skipper Ben Stokes, who finished with 2/43, the damage was done. Remarkably, Jaiswal now has 813 runs in just 10 innings against England at an average of 90.33, surpassing the legendary Don Bradman (89.78) for the highest Test average against England (min. 500 runs).
From there, it was captain Gill’s show. The 25-year-old right-hander, leading India in a Test for the first time, displayed composure and technical finesse in his unbeaten 127 off 175 balls, laced with 16 boundaries and a six. His partnership of 138 runs with vice-captain Pant ensured India went to stumps on a high. Pant’s knock was equally vital, featuring six fours and two sixes in his 102-ball effort. During their innings, Gill and Pant also reached personal milestones — 2,000 Test runs for Gill and 3,000 for Pant.
India’s score of 359/3 also surpassed their previous best opening-day effort in England — 338/7 at Edgbaston in 2022. Notably, it was also the highest first-day total by a visiting side in England since South Africa’s 362/4 at The Oval in 2003.
With India already in a commanding position and Gill and Pant well-set, Day 2 promises to be another testing challenge for England, who will be desperate to find early breakthroughs and stop the Indian juggernaut. For now, the visitors have laid down a formidable marker in what is shaping up to be an exciting Test series.
