Cricket
Shubman Gill hits hundred in first Test as India captain and Yashasvi Jaiswal scores yet another ton versus England as hosts toil on day one at Headingley; India reach 359-3 after Ben Stokes opts to bowl on flat pitch; watch day two from 10.15am, Saturday (11am start)
Friday 20 June 2025 20:58, UK
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New captain Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal struck centuries as India punished an under-par England bowling display to pile on 359-3 after losing the toss on day one of the first Test at Headingley.
Gill (127no off 175 deliveries) played with terrific composure and silkiness as he became the fifth India skipper to hit a hundred in his first Test in charge, a group that includes Virat Kohli, the man he replaced at No 4 in the line-up following the legend’s recent retirement.
Jaiswal (101 off 158) notched his fifth Test ton and third versus Ben Stokes’ side alone – which he clinched after suffering from forearm cramps – having smoked two double centuries when India beat England 4-1 at home in early 2024.
India 359-3 after 85 overs: Shubman Gill (127no off 175 balls); Yashasvi Jaiswal (101 off 158); Rishabh Pant (65no off 102); Ben Stokes (2-43), Brydon Carse (1-70)
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The left-handed opener, who has now scored hundred on his Test debut as well as his first games in Australia and England, was bowled by a beauty from Stokes – the pick of the seamers – after tea but GIll and Rishabh Pant (65no off 102) combined for an unbroken partnership of 138 from 198 deliveries as England toiled.
Gill, whose ton was his sixth in total but first outside of Asia, proved the cornerstone as he made the perfect start to his leadership, having been named as successor to the now-retired Rohit Sharma – Gill reached fifty from 56 ball and then settled into cruise control.
Pant passed 3,000 Test runs and belted a rusty Chris Woakes for six in the final over, leaving England skipper Stokes with plenty to ponder – including whether he made the correct call at the toss and why his fellow seamers proved pretty toothless.
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The stats said Stokes was right to field with the Headingley pitch traditionally not deteriorating and the last six Tests here won by the side bowling first but the heat and quick outfield made for strong batting conditions and Jaiswal and KL Rahul (48), initially, latched onto width and overpitched deliveries as England chased wickets.
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There was ample movement for the pace attack – which comprises the experienced Stokes and Woakes and the greener Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue – yet India’s openers blunted them until shortly before lunch with a stand of 91.
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The pair mixed aggressive intent with cautious batting – Rahul, in particular, playing a number of attractive drives as he made you wonder quite why his Test average is in the low 30s.
However, he was then caught on the drive, edging Carse to slip as the bowler bagged his first home Test wicket after 27 in five matches overseas this winter, before Stokes had debutant Sai Sudharsan caught down the leg-side for a jittery four-ball duck five deliveries later – the field settings suggesting that was a deliberate ploy.
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Carse could have removed Jaiswal lbw for 45 after lunch but overstepped, and the batter went on to complete a 144-ball century in a Carse over in which he struck two coruscating off-side fours – the side of the wicket where he scored 88 per cent of his runs – and also paused for a second time due to his arm cramps.
Jaiswal and Gill – who would have been run out for one had Ollie Pope succeeded with a direct hit – put on 129 for the third wicket with the latter moving to fifty with a pulled four off Tongue, the same bowler who had been belted for six over point by Jaiswal.
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Unsurprisingly it was Stokes, playing his first game since the Zimbabwe Test in May and just second since he tore his hamstring bowling against New Zealand in December, who snapped the Gill-Jaiswal stand, castling the latter from around the wicket.
Stokes then came close to removing Pant with a devilish slower ball and also beat the left-hander on his outside edge during a fascinating battle, with Pant throwing an early punch when he creamed the second ball he faced over Stokes’ head for four.
Pant largely went into his shell after that – a wild swipe off England spinner Shoaib Bashir that Zak Crawley attempted in vain to catch and a towering six that took India past 300 were two of few outlandish moments – as he helped skipper Gill through to a 148-ball century. Only then did the typical Pant audacity truly come out.
Bashir was a bright spot for England on the day, offering control as well as dip, flight, turn and bounce, as he registered figures of 0-66 from 21 overs after seeing Jaiswal carve his first delivery for four.
The teams are playing for the newly created Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, named after greats of the game James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar, who are the most prolific seam bowler and highest run-scorer in the history of Test cricket respectively.
England entered the series as favourites against an inexperienced touring side but day one in Leeds was a reminder, if we needed it, that India are packed with talent.
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