It was just about the perfect day India could have hoped for at Headingley on Friday, June 20. A new captain at the helm, a young squad taking on a strong England side in their own backyard--and what a start it was, with Yashasvi Jaiswal smashing a century to set the tone.
"Very good, all did very well, amazing to go out and bat and enjoy the English summer," said the 23-year-old who scored 101 runs off 158 balls including 16 boundaries and one six.
India were put in to bat after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to field. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened the innings, and it was a dream start for the visitors. Although Rahul fell for 42 just before lunch, Jaiswal carried on in style, bringing up his fifth Test century--and his third against Ben Stokes’ England alone.
“I enjoyed playing the game and prepared very well,” said the young Indian opener after his knock.
India made the most of their preparation leading up to the series. After an intense training session at Lord’s, several players--both from the main squad and India A--were already acclimatising to English conditions, with some participating in the ongoing second unofficial Test against England Lions in Northampton. The groundwork clearly paid off.
“We had some very good practice sessions and matches in recent weeks, so I kept it simple,” said Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Meanwhile, on his Test captaincy debut, Shubman Gill made a strong statement with the bat, smashing an unbeaten 127 off 175 balls, laced with 16 boundaries and a six. Jaiswal praised his skipper, “If there was a loose ball, I went for it. Gill played amazingly-calm, composed, and batted really well.”
Speaking about his own approach, Jaiswal added, “I trust myself and always have that desire to do well. It definitely swung, but I stuck to my processes and enjoyed the moment. The key is to watch the ball carefully.”
By stumps on Day 1 of the first Test in the five-match series, India were firmly in control at 359/3. Gill was unbeaten alongside Rishabh Pant, who played a fluent knock to reach 65 not out. Actions will continue on Day 2 at 3:30 PM IST. Catch the live updates and scores from the India Vs England 1st Test Day 2 in our blog.
