ENG vs IND, 1st Test: Jaiswal, Gill hundreds help India ease into comfortable position after Day 1

If you are looking for a soft landing in your maiden Test series as captain, England might not be the ideal place. However, on the opening day of India’s first Test at Headingley here on Friday, Shubman Gill & Co. eased into a comfortable position, reaching 359 for three at stumps, with the skipper (127 batting, 175b, 16×4, 1×6) and his deputy Rishabh Pant (65 batting, 102b, 6×4, 2×6) keeping vigil.

A lost toss, a duck for debutant B. Sai Sudharsan and packed stands egging the home side on notwithstanding, the Indian top-order feasted on a true batting wicket, the kind of which Ben Stokes’ men wanted in the lead-up and something that still keeps them in the contest.

Gill was typically resplendent, scoring his sixth ton and the first outside the sub-continent. But the foundation was laid by Yashasvi Jaiswal (101, 159b, 16×4, 1×6) and the Mumbaikar’s 91-run first-wicket association with the classy K.L. Rahul (42, 78b, 8×4).

The English new-ball attack was blunted to perfection on a hot morning before the Indian batters spread their wings under relatively cooler afternoon and early evening conditions to dominate proceedings.

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Jaiswal’s innings was an apt summation of the day’s cricket. The 23-year-old took 96 balls to get to his fifty but just 48 more for his fifth Test century and a first in the Old Blighty. He now has hundreds in the West Indies, India, Australia and England, resembling a quiver full of golden arrows.

What stood out was his surety outside the off-stump, even positioning himself well outside the crease initially to negate the movement. There were occasions when he appeared fidgety, attempting the upper cut and playing and missing. But he was largely in control, with all 17 of his hits beyond the ropes – 16 along the ground and one over – coming in the arc between third-man and long-off.

On the stroke of lunch, Jaiswal lost Rahul, who lined up for a drive but couldn’t cover for some late movement from Brydon Carse and edged to first slip Joe Root. Stokes tried a leg-side trap to get Jaiswal but it was Sai Sudharsan who took the bait and perished caught behind trying to glide one down.

After the break, Gill and Jaiswal were at their authoritative best, and it showed in how they attacked England’s lead pacer Chris Woakes. The right-armer started his afternoon spell with a maiden over but bled 38 runs from the next five. Gill drove beautifully straight down, creamed a couple to the cover fence and clipped nonchalantly to the mid-wicket boundary. An excellent short-arm jab for four earned him his half-century (56b).

Post fifty, Gill slowed down – the century came 84 balls later via a pleasing drive off Josh Tongue – while Jaiswal took centre-stage. The southpaw was bothered by a sore right forearm, but that didn’t stop him from slashing Tongue for a six, and moving from 87 to 99 with two cuts and a drive off Carse. A tapped single brought the crowd onto its feet in collective appreciation.

In the second over after tea though, Stokes breached Jaiswal’s defence with a fine delivery that straightened after pitching. Pant, the next man in, jumped down the track second ball and smashed Stokes over his head. He added 61 swashbuckling runs to his score, with the promise for many more.