Ind-Eng series: Gill, Jaiswal draw first blood, but will it be an Indian Summer?

It was a crucial day’s cricket in the context of a five-Test series in the 2025-27 cycle of the World Test Championship. India reached the finals in the first two editions; but not in the last one, which concluded earlier this month with a triumph for South Africa. It’s a crown that has eluded India; the ultimate mantle in the sport.

It was a psychological test for a batting line-up sans stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma. In the event, India passed the examination with flying colours. England invited India's batters to take first strike, hoping there could be a mental fragility in the absence of Test experience in English conditions among three of the top six in the order. And the helmsman averaging 14.66 in six previous innings in this country.

The hosts also calculated that any assistance to quicker bowlers in the match was likely to arise on the first day, while the middle days could be the most salubrious for the willow. The former New Zealand medium pacer, Tim Southee, now England’s bowling coach, confirmed this after stumps.

But the elements plotted against England. It was not as if the ball didn’t swing or seam; but not alarmingly, and the Indians overcame this with watchfulness interspersed by aggression. In fact, a score of 359 for three at close of play on the opening day of the first India-England Test in a five-match series, reflecting a rollicking run rate of 4.23, laid threadbare India's dominance.

India lost two wickets off six balls towards the end of the morning, after K.L. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal had dictated the session. Jaiswal and Shubman Gill shrugged off the reverses as they resumed after lunch, posting a pulverising 129-run partnership for the third wicket, before Jaiswal was bowled by an incoming delivery from Stokes, who exhibited the most innovation and variety in the English bowling.

Contrary to the India A games, there was no indiscreet experimentation on Jaiswal’s part. He put his head down between characteristic cuts and drives through the off side. Indeed, his 101 represented centuries in maiden appearances in three of the four overseas regions he has played in so far, namely the West Indies, Australia and now England. He told media: maaza aata (I have fun) from the way he performed.

Many a cricketer in history has felt the pressure of captaining one’s country in the early stages of such stewardships. Not Gill, it would seem. From the very first ball he faced, he went about his assignment with striking confidence, as if the appointment has been a tonic to his batting. His earlier flops in England erased from memory. His inherent class as an exponent rendered it inevitable that he would reveal that class abroad sooner or later. But the authority with which he accomplished it probably augurs well for himself and Indian cricket.

At close, he was unbeaten on 127 with his deputy Rishab Pant, typically entertainingly, keeping him company on 65 as the duo realised a stand of 138 for the fourth wicket.

But the lesson of last winter’s tour of Australia must be borne in mind. There’s another 24 days of cricket to tackle, where endurance and a sustained demonstration of skill will matter.                 

The English are inclined to describe it as an Indian Summer every time the temperature in their terrain rises above 25ºC. On this day, the mercury level in the afternoon touched 30. It was welcome weather for the tourists, especially because the contest was being staged in the north-east of England, which is comparatively cooler and therefore friendlier to fast bowlers than the south.

From an Indian perspective, though, it will only be an Indian Summer if they win the series, something they have failed to achieve since 2007 under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy.

Trueman's heroics

At this ground in 1952, India collapsed to 0/4 in the second innings. Freddie Trueman, a barrel-chested coalminer from the local county of Yorkshire and a tearaway fast bowler, making his debut in Tests, captured three of those wickets. With his heavy Yorkshire accent, he would for decades regale audiences in clubs and pubs around England with stories of how the Indians were retreating to square against his fiery pace.

India predictably lost the Test; but not without Vijay Manjrekar, with a brilliant hundred in the first innings, and captain Vijay Hazare, with half-centuries in both ventures, demonstrating that India were not totally bereft of quality.

Seven years later at the same venue, India succumbed ignominiously by an innings and 173 runs with only leg-spinner Subhash Gupte troubling the English. The Indians lost again in 1967; but only after a heroic display by skipper Tiger Pataudi, whose innings of 64 and 148 moved English critics to hail him the ‘Nawab of Headingley’.

India were defeated once more three years ago; but never otherwise. Indeed, they recorded creditable victories here in 1986 and 2002.

Folklore has it that at Headingley, one should look at the skies and not the pitch; for cloud cover makes the ball wobble, whereas sunshine makes it whistle to the boundary. Don Bradman, probably the greatest batsman of all time, once scored 300 runs in a day on this expansive turf!

Yesterday saw one such setting; and India reaped a rich harvest as the sun predominantly presided over proceedings. The forecast for the rest of the match is bright.

So, will Jasprit Bumrah be able to extract life where the English quicks — albeit not of his standard — toiled without too much reward? Will it turn for left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, if by the fourth innings the heat cracks up the wicket?

Ashis Ray can be found on X @ashiscray. More of his writing can be found here