Solid Start for India as Jaiswal and Sudharsan Shine on Opening Day. With overcast skies, rain in the forecast, and uncertainty surrounding the pitch, the toss was always going to be a tough call. England skipper Ben Stokes won his fourth toss in a row and elected to bowl first at Old Trafford. Banking on overcast conditions, he backed his pace attack to exploit the early movement.
While Ben Stokes backed his bowlers to exploit the overcast conditions, Indian captain Shubman Gill saw it as a “good toss to lose,” believing the pitch would hold up well for batting. As play unfolded, Gill’s assessment wasn’t far off the mark.
Despite disciplined bowling from England and some help from the surface, India held the upper hand for most of the day. Fifties from Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 107 balls) and debutant Sai Sudharsan (61 off 151) guided the visitors to a strong position, ending Day 1 at 264 for four.
India’s Call to Promote Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 Pays Off as He Steps Up in Style.
The left-hander played a composed knock, stitching crucial partnerships with Yashasvi Jaiswal and later with Rishabh Pant to stabilise India’s middle order.
Sai Sudharsan marked his debut with a composed maiden Test fifty, showcasing maturity beyond his years. While India would be pleased with the batting unit’s adaptability and partnerships, Rishabh Pant’s right foot injury cast a shadow over an otherwise solid day.
Rishabh Pant was cruising alongside Sudharsan before an untimely injury halted his fluent knock. Attempting a reverse sweep to a yorker from Chris Woakes, Pant was struck on the toe. He was in visible agony, called for the physio, and had to be carted off the field as his swollen foot began bleeding heavily. He was later taken to the hospital for scans and further treatment.
Pant’s injury disrupted India’s momentum, and shortly after, Sai Sudharsan — who had settled in well despite an early reprieve — top-edged a Ben Stokes delivery to long leg, where Brydon Carse completed the catch. However, Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur, who came into the XI in place of Nitish Kumar Reddy, steadied the innings and ensured no further setbacks before bad light brought an early end to the day’s play.
Earlier in the day, Yashasvi Jaiswal and K.L. Rahul provided India with a solid start.
Putting together a 94-run opening stand that kept England wicketless through the first session. Jaiswal showed commendable restraint early on, carefully negotiating Jofra Archer’s probing spell. He scored cautiously, with just seven runs coming off Archer’s first five overs.
Yashasvi Jaiswal showed maturity in his approach, pacing his innings with patience and control. In doing so, he crossed the 1,000-run mark in Test cricket against England, joining Mohammad Azharuddin as the joint second-fastest Indian to reach the milestone — a testament to his consistency and growing stature in the format. At the other end, K.L. Rahul provided stability with a composed and steady knock.
Shortly after lunch, K.L. Rahul fell while attempting a back-foot punch off Chris Woakes, edging to third slip. India’s solid start quickly wobbled as Shubman Gill was trapped LBW by Ben Stokes, and Liam Dawson — making a comeback after eight years — struck by removing Yashasvi Jaiswal, reducing India to 140 for three.
But in the end, India absorbed the setbacks and staged a steady recovery.