Gill and Jaiswal hundreds power India to 359-3 against England on day one of series

By Canadian Press on June 20, 2025.

LEEDS, England (AP) — Centuries by captain Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal catapulted India to 359-3 against England at Headingley on the opening day Friday of the five-test series.

Gill was 127 not out in his maiden test as skipper and Jaiswal made 101, becoming the first opening batter from Asia to hit a hundred at Headingley.

Gill centered the two big partnerships; 129 with Jaiswal for the third wicket that tore hope from England, and an unbeaten 138 with Rishabh Pant that piled on England’s miserable day.

The unpredictable Pant was 65 not out at stumps.

It all followed India being told to bat first by England. India would have bowled first, too, Gill admitted but it turned out to be a good toss to lose.

England, despite a weakened pace attack, chose to bowl first hoping for some early movement off a green-tinged pitch, backed up by recent history: The last six test winners at Headingley all bowled first.

But movement was limited and England got its lines and lengths wrong; only 35% right in the first hour, the second lowest percentage since 2019 by England in the first session on day one in a home test.

The bowling toiled all day. The three pacers went for 4.3-plus an over. Ben Stokes, with only one competitive game this year, was the pick with 2-43.

India would have won the morning easily but Lokesh Rahul and debutant Sai Sudharsan were both out to edges on the stroke of lunch. Joe Root at first slip took his 209th catch in tests, one shy of Rahul Dravid’s record for a non-wicketkeeper.

England would have thought it was back in the match but Jaiswal, on 42 at lunch, and Gill rebuilt the innings in style.

They both had lucky breaks early. Gill almost ran himself out on 1 and Jaiswal was hit plumb on the toe on 45 by a Brydon Carse in-swinging yorker, but it was a no-ball.

After that they cruised at a cracking pace on a flattening pitch and against a softening ball as the skies clouded over.

Jaiswal, who didn’t offer a chance, reached his fifth hundred, and third against England, just before tea. But in the 80s he began to show apparent painful cramp in his right forearm. After on-field treatment he carried on, and stayed in the 90s for only six balls.

He celebrated his hundred by running around the pitch swinging his helmet and punching the air. He has 813 runs against England in 10 innings.

Jaiswal was out straight after tea for 101 off 159 balls, bowled by Stokes.

Pant came in and slapped the second ball he faced from Stokes back over the captain’s head, drawing a big smile from Stokes.

But Pant and Gill, the vice captain and captain, restrained themselves and India’s scoring dropped below four an over as spinner Shoaib Bashir was allowed to hold down one end.

As the bowlers tired, they lifted the run rate. Gill’s 14th boundary earned his hundred off 140 balls, and he screamed in delight and bowed to the dressing room.

A six over fine leg sent Gill past 2,000 test runs, and Pant followed him passing 3,000 test runs with his 22nd fifty, off 91 balls. But Pant never looked like enjoying being tied down, and hit two late sixes to rouse India’s happy fans.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

The Associated Press