A new era dawned for Indian Test cricket at Headingley as the opening day of the first Test against England witnessed a dominant batting display, highlighted by centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. India ended the day in a commanding position at 359/3, setting the stage for a potentially imposing first-innings total.
England's captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to field, a decision that India's young batting lineup made him rue by the end of the day. The new opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul provided a solid foundation, putting on a 91-run partnership. Jaiswal, in particular, looked assured and confident, displaying the same fearless approach that has marked his brief but impactful Test career so far.
After Rahul's dismissal for 42, debutant Sai Sudharsan's stay at the crease was short-lived, falling for a duck. However, this brought captain Shubman Gill to the crease, and along with Jaiswal, the duo began to rebuild the innings. Jaiswal reached his century off 159 deliveries, becoming the first Indian batter to score a century in his first Test in both England and Australia. This milestone underscored his adaptability and temperament.
Gill, leading India for the first time in a Test match, played with maturity and composure, anchoring the innings and building a substantial partnership with Jaiswal. After Jaiswal's dismissal for 101, Rishabh Pant joined Gill, and the pair continued to frustrate the English bowlers. Gill went on to score his century, becoming only the fifth Indian batter to achieve this feat in his first Test as captain, joining the ranks of Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, and Dilip Vengsarkar. Gill remained unbeaten at the end of the day, having reached 127 runs, along with Rishabh Pant, who was also not out with 65 runs.
The English bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batsmen, with only Ben Stokes managing to take two wickets. The rest of the bowling attack looked ineffective as Jaiswal and Gill confidently made runs around the ground. The Indian openers set the tone, not only providing a solid base to build upon but establishing a model of patience and judiciousness that the following batters promised to emulate.
This strong showing from the Indian batting lineup marks a significant moment, particularly in the absence of veterans like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Shubman Gill has taken over as skipper, Rishabh Pant returns as the vice-captain, and the post-Rohit-Virat era officially begins. The performance at Headingley suggests that the future of Indian Test cricket is in capable hands. The series also marks the beginning of the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle for India.
As play resumes on day two, India will be looking to capitalize on their strong position and build a formidable first-innings total. England, on the other hand, will need to regroup and find a way to break the Indian batting dominance to get themselves back into the match.
