ENG vs IND: 5 talking points from India’s campaign on Day 1 of the Headingley Test

Team India dominated the opening day after Ben Stokes-led England decided to bowl first in the first Test at Headingley in Leeds. Indian batters, including Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant put up impressive performances.

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Highlights of India's campaign on Day 1 of first Test

The opening day of the first Test between England and India was quite eventful as Indian batters dominated the proceedings at Headingley in Leeds on Friday, June 20.

England skipper Ben Stokes’ decision to bowl first seemed to have backfired as the visitors posted a total of 359/3 in 85 overs, with Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant batting on 127 and 65, respectively. Yashasvi Jaiswal too shone on the opening day with his maiden Test century in English conditions.

Ben Stokes led the hosts' bowling attack with a spell of 2/43 in 13 overs, Brydon Carse picked a wicket while conceding 70 runs in 16 overs.

On that note, let’s take a look at 5 key takeaways from India’s campaign on Day 1 of the series opener.

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1. Jaiswal-Rahul dominate the morning session

After being put to bat first by England captain Ben Stokes, India openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul frustrated the hosts’ bowling attack by dominating the morning session of Day 1. The pair steadied India’s ship, with Jaiswal anchoring the innings while Rahul played as a perfect foil with his composed strokeplay, as the duo stitched a 91-run stand for the opening wicket.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul’s partnership seemed like they would carry on into the afternoon session until Brydon Carse drew the first blood for England by dismissing the latter for 42. Rahul attempted to hit an outswing delivery, but got a thick edge, and the ball went towards second slip, where Joe Root took a catch.

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2. Not a Test career beginning for Sudharsan

Sai Sudharsan did not have an ideal start to his Test career as he was dismissed for a four-ball in the first innings. The 23-year-old was handed a Test cap by Cheteshwar Pujara ahead of the Headingley Test. Sudharsan was given the No.3 batting spot, which was held by Pujara and Shubman Gill, who took Virat Kohli’s No.4.

Sudharsan walked in to bat after KL Rahul’s dismissal at 91/1. There were a lot of expectations from the youngster, given his experience of playing in the County Championship. However, Tamil Nadu batter succumbed to pressure in his debut Test outing. Sai Sudharsan struggled to play against Ben Stokes on the first three deliveries before he was removed on the fourth ball of the 25th over.

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3. Yashasvi Jaiswal's defiant century

Yashasvi Jaiswal made a statement with a brilliant century in his debut Test series in England. The 23-year-old played a gritty and defiant knock of 101 off 159 balls and formed a 129-run stand for the third wicket to lift Team India from 92/2 to 221/3. Jaiswal’s century heralded the new era of India Test cricket. Yashasvi Jaiswal was experiencing sudden cramps in his hands, for which he received immediate attention from the physio.

However, the young batter carried on his batting after removing the arm-guard on his left hand and played with grit and determination to register his maiden Test century on English soil. There was a bit of concern about his form after he had modest outings in a couple of India A’s unofficial matches against England Lions, where he scored 110 runs in four innings. Still, the youngster put all doubts to rest with a composed and technically sound innings at Headingley.

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4. Shubman Gill kicks off Test captaincy in style

Shubman Gill was in the spotlight as he assumed his captaincy duties on Day 1 of the Headingley Test. The focus was completely on him when he walked in to bat after India lost Sai Sudharsan at 92/2, marking the beginning of his leadership innings not just as a batter but also the face of India’s new Test era after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

However, Gill seemed to be composed and calm rather than feeling the pressure of Test captaincy. He anchored the innings brilliantly after Yashasvi Jaiswal’s dismissal and scored a maiden century on his captaincy debut. He became just the fifth Indian player after Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Virat Kohli to score a century on Test captaincy debut.

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5. Rishabh Pant’s maturity in batting

Rishabh Pant was quite impressive with his batting as he played an unbeaten knock of 65 off 102 balls to put Team India in a commanding position. The newly appointed vice-captain is someone who has enjoyed playing against England in England, evidenced by his past tours to the United Kingdom. This time, the 27-year-old has continued his love affair with English conditions.

However, Pant has shown a lot of maturity in his batting. He put away his unorthodox style of batting and adopted a defensive approach, especially against spin. Rishabh Pant showcased a more measured and mature approach to his innings, blending caution with timely aggression to guide India to a strong finish on Day 1. His change in batting approach has enabled him to stay longer at the crease compared to his performance in the Australia Test series.