A resolute century from Shubman Gill and a spirited opening from Yashasvi Jaiswal helped India end Day 1 of the second Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test against England on a commanding 310/5, under clear skies at Edgbaston.
On a pitch offering occasional movement but no demons, Gill displayed a fine blend of caution and class to remain unbeaten on 114 off 216 deliveries — his seventh Test hundred and second as captain. With 12 elegant boundaries laced into his innings, the 24-year-old stood as the backbone of India’s recovery after a mid-innings wobble.
Having come off a superb 147 at Headingley, Gill became only the second Indian skipper after Mohammad Azharuddin to score hundreds in consecutive Tests in England. He also joined Azharuddin and Vijay Hazare in the elite list of India captains to notch back-to-back tons against England.
Earlier in the day, Jaiswal provided the early fireworks with a brisk 87, full of flair and stroke-play, setting a strong platform for India. However, a brief collapse saw India stumble from 189/2 to 211/5, losing Rishabh Pant and debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy in quick succession.
Pant (25) looked adventurous as always, but fell to temptation, lofting a flighted delivery from Shoaib Bashir straight to long-on. Reddy followed soon after, shouldering arms to a Chris Woakes delivery that jagged in sharply to disturb his off-stump.
But Gill, composed as ever, regrouped alongside Ravindra Jadeja, who played second fiddle with a steady 41* off 73 balls. The pair added an unbroken 99-run stand for the sixth wicket, blunting England’s attack in the final session and ensuring India closed the day on top.
England’s bowlers, though disciplined, were often left frustrated. Woakes was the pick, claiming 2/59, but missed out on more thanks to narrow DRS calls. Carse, Stokes, and Bashir chipped in with one wicket each.
There was a brief stoppage when the ball had to be changed after it got stuck in the gauge. The pause seemed to work in Gill’s favour, who responded by upping the tempo, dancing down to Woakes and Bashir for boundaries before reaching his fifty in 125 balls.
The second new ball brought its share of challenges, but India’s sixth-wicket pair navigated it confidently, closing out a productive day with momentum on their side.
Brief Scores:
India 310/5 in 85 overs (Shubman Gill 114*, Yashasvi Jaiswal 87; Chris Woakes 2/59, Brydon Carse 1/49) vs England
