India’s opening pair, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, made a big statement during the first Test at Headingley on Friday. They set a record for the highest partnership by Indian openers at this venue, scoring 91 runs and breaking the old record of 64 runs held by Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth since 1986.
After England’s captain Ben Stokes chose to bowl first on a cloudy day, Jaiswal and Rahul faced a solid new-ball attack from Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse. They started off slow, carefully judging the deliveries outside off stump and showing patience. As they settled in, both players found their rhythm—Rahul hit some beautiful drives through cover while Jaiswal mixed controlled aggression with good technique. Their partnership showcased smart shot selection, with 16 boundaries coming from well-played strokes through the offside.
Even when Carse delivered a nasty ball that hit Jaiswal in the ribs, both openers handled it well and looked in charge. There were moments when England seemed to be out of ideas, even wasting a DRS review on a ball that was clearly outside leg stump.
Just when it seemed like India would go to lunch with no wickets down, England struck back in the last six balls of the session. Brydon Carse got the crucial breakthrough, getting KL Rahul out for 42 with a wide delivery that he edged to Joe Root. Then, debutant Sai Sudharsan went for a duck after getting caught behind by Jamie Smith off Ben Stokes. Those two quick wickets brought some excitement back to the game, which had been leaning toward India. Still, Yashasvi Jaiswal remained not out on 44 at lunch, looking confident after his impressive performance in the recent India-England series.