India vs England: Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal scored his maiden Test century on English soil, and Shubman Gill scored his first fifty as the Test captain. The Indian cricket team could not have asked for a better beginning than what they got on Friday.
Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal cracked his first Test century on English soil, and Shubman Gill scored his first fifty as Test captain and number four batter as the two men’s untouched 123-run third-wicket stand catapulted India to da ominating 215/2 in 51 overs at tea on Day One of the first Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test match at Headingley on Friday.
Gill, on the other hand, produced his best-attacking form to take his half-century off only 56 balls, the quickest in Tests, and remain unbeaten on 58 off 74 balls, as India lost not a single wicket in what was a session completely in their favour.
England’s woe was compounded when they were handed a five-run penalty. This occurred just before Tea when Ben Stokes. Jaiswal edged one in the direction of the slips but missed the fielder Harry Brook.
To compound their misery the ball went on to hit the helmet which was put behind wicketkeeper Jamie Smith. According to the rules, India was awarded five extra runs. Joe Root could not fathom what had just occurred.
Jaiswal’s unblemished innings have been a masterclass in running riot off-side strokes – driving and cutting off England quick bowlers with ease. From the very first ball of the session when Gill left England captain Ben Stokes’ outswinger with confidence, one got the feeling that India would be an absolute dominant force in the session.
It was also fortunate that with the Duke’s ball softening and England’s bowlers not having serious penetration, it benefited Jaiswal and Gill to play their shots so beautifully. Gill was spotless in cutting and driving after an overthrow provided him with five runs.
Following a single off Josh Tongue achieved his fifty, and Jaiswal remained adept at front-foot drives and back-foot cuts, scoring his boundaries. After cutting Josh Tongue over cover for six, Jaiswal greeted Shoaib Bashir with a slashing him through square on the off-side for four.
Gill then reached his fifty by smashing Tongue past the gap at mid-wicket for four. From there, even with a right forearm cramp, Jaiswal lofted, slashed, cut, and driven to take boundaries off Carse, before completing his century with a single through point and lapped up the applause on achieving his first Test century in England.
