Jaiswal and Gill centuries trounce England in stunning opening day display as India finish on a commanding 359/3.
Jaiswal and Gill made a exhilarating start to India’s new test era with fluent centuries as the visitors took total command over the opening day’s proceedings.
Jaiswal’s century was a brilliant display of off-side strokeplay; he needed just 48 balls to go from 50 to 100, and all 17 of his boundaries, including a nasty cut for six over cover, came off the side.
Gill’s debut innings as captain, however, was even better. Without giving a chance, he soared to his fastest half-century (off 56 balls) and then cruised calmly to three figures, embodying the pace he wanted from his team. On the dressing-room balcony, he bowed to a standing ovation from his teammates after hitting a cover drive for four to record his sixth Test hundred.
Ben Stokes’ choice to bowl first after winning the toss on a particularly hot day in Leeds must have been a regrettable one for England’s bowlers, who had to endure a long and arduous day in the field. The highlight of the attack was Stokes, who immediately after tea knocked back Jaiswal’s off stump and strangled rookie B Sai Sudharsan down the leg side on the stroke of lunch.
The feeling that there would be activity on the pitch during the first session led Stokes to make the call, but Jaiswal and KL Rahul rejected that idea. England’s seamers bowled reasonably full and attacked the off-stump channel but without success.
Rahul appeared completely unfazed as he punished half-volleys and width despite Jaiswal’s occasional missed shots and ribcage strike from a lifter from Brydon Carse. The moment he eventually gave a chance off a Carse outswinger, his heavy outside edge went straight to Joe Root at slip, shocking everyone.
India’s new No. 3 Sai Sudharsan was caught in England’s trap as Carse’s snorter of a follow-up ball trapped him on his back thigh. Stokes unsuccessfully attempted a leg-side strangle with his third delivery in the morning session’s last over, bowling with a leg slip and a leg gully. Sai Sudharsan duly complied one ball later, feathering through to Jamie Smith.
Following lunch, Gill got off to a brisk start, scurrying through for a close single off his second ball and providing a run-out opportunity off his sixth. At short midwicket, he worked Carse to the right of Ollie Pope, whose pick-up-and-throw would have smacked Gill squarely in the face but instead sprinted to the boundary for overthrows.
Although Carse might have had Jaiswal lbw on review for 45 had he not gone too far, it turned out to be the only genuine opportunity of the middle session.
After his rasping drive off Tongue to reach his century, Gill accelerated the pace even more by pulling a six over long leg with his short arm. In the last over of the day, Pant hoicked Woakes over midwicket for six after toe-ending a slog-sweep past mid-on, swiftly ending England’s hopes that the second new ball would offer a breakthrough.