India vs England Highlights, 1st Test: Gill, Pant stand tall at Headingley as India reach 359/3 at stumps

Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, decides to smash Chris Woakes for a six after charging down the track and smashing the ball towards deep square leg, where Stokes had placed a fielder anticipating such a slog. Then again, that is what makes Pant the exciting batter that he is! The vice-captain collects a brace two balls later before ending the day with a hat-trick of dots.

That brings us to the end of Day 1, and boy did the Indian batters produce a dominant show after Stokes opted to field, posting 359 on the board with seven wickets in hand and two set batters in the crease. Gill and Co should be able post 500 on the board tomorrow even if they lose wickets in a heap. IND 359/3 after 85

England captain Ben Stokes opts for the second new ball right away, giving it to Chris Woakes. Pant brings up his 16th Test half-century in the most Rishabh Pant style possible – guiding the ball down the ground off the toe end of the bat while attempting to play an ugly slog! As long as it gets the job done perhaps. The boundary also gets him past 3,000 Test runs in just 76 innings – the second-quickest among Test wicketkeepers after Adam Gilchrist (63).

Brydon Carse returns from the other end and he starts his spell with a 12-run over, which includes a boundary to Gill and Pant each along with a no-ball, bringing up the 350 for India in the process! Just five minutes left for stumps today. IND 350/3 after 82

Gill lets out a triumphant roar after becoming only the fourth Indian to score a century in his maiden game as Test captain, a list that includes his predecessor at the No 4 spot Virat Kohli! The 25-year-old brings up the milestone with a boundary off Josh Tongue, taking 140 deliveries to reach the milestone – which happens to be his sixth in Test cricket! Gill later collects a six with a top-edge off Tongue that clears Bashir at long leg.

India have motored past 300 with seven wickets in and captain Gill and his deputy Pant will look to bat through the remaining overs! IND 312/3 after 75

Pant brings up the milestone with a single in the final delivery of Bashir’s 15th over, going for a wild heave towards midwicket where the ball, luckily for him, lands clear of a fielder. The wicketkeeper-batter collects a boundary off Woakes in the following over, playing with soft hands to steer the ball past Brook at wide slip.

Woakes nearly uproots Pant’s off pole with an inswinger the following delivery. IND 275/3 after 69 overs, with drinks brought to the field one final time today.

Here’s how in-form opener Jaiswal, who had smashed 712 runs at an average of 89 against Stokes’ men at home last year, celebrated after bringing up his fifth Test century:

England captain Ben Stokes bowls out the final over of the afternoon session, hoping to strike once again towards the end of the session but conceding six, including five penalty runs after the ball hits the helmet behind the wicketkeeper. Jaiswal played with soft hands as he nicked the ball to the slip cordon, where Root ended up redirecting the ball towards the helmet.

Jaiswal and Gill have added 123 runs in a third-wicket stand that is still going strong, with India batting through the second session unscathed! Gill too deserves credit for a splendid knock in which he brought up his half-century in just 56 balls in his first outing as Test captain as well as at the No 4 position.

Jaiswal brings up the milestone with a boundary off Bashir, dancing down the wicket and smashing the ball over the bowler’s head in the penultimate delivery of the off-spinner’s fourth over. Seven off the over, with Jaiswal collecting a brace after the boundary.

Carse had returned to the attack in the previous over, replacing Tongue, with Gill welcoming him back by collecting three at the start of a new spell after steering the ball down the ground towards long on. IND 195/2 after 46

The opener produces a crisp drive through the covers at the start of the 38th over. Woakes shortens his length two balls later and Jaiswal responds with a confident cut behind point. He produces a similar shot off a similar delivery in the penultimate ball of the over before keeping the strike with a single, resulting in a 13-run over for Woakes.

India motor past the 150-mark in the process with the partnership between Jaiswal and Gill, who’s batting on 40 off 44, currently worth 66 in quick time! England once again under pressure at the moment. Jaiswal’s batting on 66 right now. IND 158/2 after 38

Jaiswal brings up the milestone with a single, taking 96 deliveries to get there. The young opener, who has been on a roll in the Test format since making his international debut during the 2023 tour of West Indies, receives a warm round of applause from the crowd at Headingley.

Gill collects a brace in the very next ball after steering a short ball past point before collecting his sixth boundary with a lovely drive through the extra cover region off Woakes’ bowling the following over. IND 142/2 after 36

Carse oversteps in the fourth ball of his 11th over, in which he hits the southpaw on the boot with a well-directed yorker. And replays show that the ball would have gone on to hit middle. Had the pacer not overstepped, Jaiswal would have joined Rahul and Sudharsan in the dressing room.

Gill, meanwhile, is batting on a run-a-ball 26 – his strike rate going past 100 at one point – after smashing Woakes for three boundaries in the following over! The partnership is already worth 32 runs. IND 124/2 after 32

The southpaw is under pressure from ball one, and ends up getting strangled down the leg side by the England captain, resulting in a nick to the keeper! England were made to toil hard for a wicket for a majority of the first two hours of the match, and have been rewarded with a couple of them in as many overs!

India end the morning session on 92/2 after 25.4 overs with Yashasvi Jaiswal batting on 42 at the moment!