Ton-up Jaiswal makes England toil in first Test as India take control

LEEDS: India´s Yashasvi Jaiswal marked his first Test innings in England with a superb century and captain Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten fifty as the tourists took control of the series opener at Headingley on Friday.

India dominated the bulk of the morning´s play after being sent into bat, only to lose two wickets in quick succession as they ended the session on 92-2.

By tea on the first day of the opening Test in a five-match series, India were firmly back in control on 215-2, with 23-year-old opener Jaiswal 100 not out.

Gill, in his first innings as skipper since succeeding the retired Rohit Sharma, was also in fine form on 58 not out.

The pair had so far shared an unbroken partnership of 123 in 25.2 overs, with India going through the second session without losing a wicket.

England captain Ben Stokes´ decision to bowl, which may have been influenced by the fact the last six Tests at Headingley have all been won by the team batting second, meant England did not have to face India´s star paceman Jasprit Bumrah at the start of the match.

It also gave England a chance to strike an early blow against an India top order without experienced batsmen Rohit and Virat Kohli after the pair retired from Test cricket within days of each other last month.

But an England attack without retired greats James Anderson and Stuart Broad and missing injured express quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, rarely threatened on a good pitch.

Chris Woakes, sidelined by an ankle problem earlier in the season, returned to take the new ball in place of the injured Gus Atkinson, with Brydon Carse given a home debut in the other change to the England side that beat Zimbabwe recently.

Jaiswal and Rahul seized on anything loose as India made a stylish start to their quest for just a fourth Test series win in England after their triumphs in 1971, 1986 and 2007. With India´s openers approaching a century partnership, England made a double strike.

Rahul, on 42, drove loosely at a wide ball from Carse and edged to Joe Root at first slip

Moments later, number three Sai Sudharsan joined the long list of batsmen who have made a duck on Test debut when a glance off Stokes was well caught by diving wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

But India´s third-wicket duo seized back the momentum with a century stand full of sublime stroke-play.