Gill and Jaiswal Light Up Headingley as India Dominates England on Day One
What a start to this Test series between England and India! If anyone was wondering how India would cope post-Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, they got their answer loud and clear at Headingley. The young guns have arrived—and how! On a baking hot day in Leeds, new skipper Shubman Gill and the ever-elegant Yashasvi Jaiswal took the English bowling attack apart with twin centuries that left the hosts gasping for answers.
England won the toss and, somewhat surprisingly, decided to bowl first under the sweltering sun on what looked like a batting paradise. That decision is already under the microscope. The pitch offered minimal assistance, and despite a hint of swing, the English bowlers couldn't maintain the consistency or discipline required. Chris Woakes looked rusty, Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse lacked penetration, and only Ben Stokes—picking up 2 for 43—showed any real bite.
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India made them pay. Jaiswal, continuing his dominance over England after a brilliant home series earlier in the year, was fluent from the get-go. He took full advantage of anything wide or overpitched and brought up his century in just 96 balls, even while battling forearm cramps. He became the first Asian opener to score a Test hundred at Headingley—an achievement that cements his growing stature in world cricket.
Shubman Gill, meanwhile, marked his debut as India’s Test captain with a century of composure and class. He could have been run out on just one but survived and never looked back. From delicate cuts to thunderous drives, he showed the poise of a seasoned leader, ending the day unbeaten on 127. He and Rishabh Pant, who added an entertaining 65 not out, put on a 138-run stand to take India to an imposing 359 for 3 at stumps.
The atmosphere was tense as the day wore on, with England clearly struggling under the weight of their own decision at the toss. The new-look India, led by a calm and authoritative Gill, looks hungry, talented, and focused. It’s early days, but this might just be the start of a new era in Indian cricket—a team no longer reliant on old heroes, but ready to write a fresh chapter on English soil.
If England are to bounce back, they’ll need more than history on their side. The weekend forecast could bring in conditions tailor-made for Jasprit Bumrah and company, which makes their task even more daunting. For now, though, it’s India in firm control.
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