India had a great start on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley. Openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal did really well against the new ball, putting together a 91-run partnership and handling the English bowlers with ease early on. They both were smart about leaving balls outside off-stump, mixing caution with a bit of aggression.
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar had a bit of a dig at a “former player,” which many thought might be aimed at Virat Kohli. He pointed out how Jaiswal had been leaving deliveries that were wide of off-stump, while Rahul hadn’t tried to play any full deliveries outside off. Manjrekar mentioned, “We know of a former batter who would have gone for that and gotten into trouble. But not these two.”
Fans quickly linked his comments to Kohli, who has struggled with balls outside off-stump in the past. This issue really stood out during India’s tour of Australia in 2024/25 when Kohli kept getting out to those deliveries. That series ended up being his last, as he announced his retirement from Test cricket before heading to England.
After England’s captain Ben Stokes decided to bowl first in the cloudy conditions, Jaiswal and Rahul faced a disciplined attack from Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse. The Indian openers started slow, showing good judgment and patience. As they settled in, both batters found their rhythm, with Rahul hitting some nice drives and Jaiswal balancing aggression with solid technique.
Their 91-run partnership was a display of smart shot selection and calmness, with the pair scoring 16 boundaries, all through classic strokes on the offside. Despite facing some challenging balls, including a nasty one that hit Jaiswal in the ribs, they looked comfortable. For a while, England seemed out of ideas, even wasting a DRS review on a ball that pitched well outside leg stump.