The five-match Test series between India and England began on June 20, with the first Test being held at Leeds. After losing the toss, Team India was invited to bat first. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul gave India a strong start, stitching a 91-run partnership for the first wicket. Playing his first Test match on English soil, Jaiswal crossed the 87-run mark and broke a 58-year-old record at the Leeds ground.
Jaiswal Breaks Farokh Engineer’s Record:
This is India’s first Test series under the captaincy of Shubman Gill, drawing attention from fans and critics alike. With huge expectations on young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, he lived up to the hype, first partnering with KL Rahul and later building a 100-plus stand with skipper Gill for the third wicket. When Jaiswal reached 88 runs, he became the highest-scoring Indian opener in an innings at Leeds, surpassing Farokh Engineer’s 87 runs scored at the same venue in 1967.
Fifth Youngest Indian to Hit a Fifty in England:
Jaiswal has now joined the elite club of Indian openers, becoming the fifth youngest Indian to score a half-century in England. He achieved this feat at the age of 23 years and 174 days, following legends like Ravi Shastri (who scored his first fifty in England at just 20 years and 42 days) and Sunil Gavaskar.
Yashasvi also went on to score his maiden century in England, reaching the milestone in 144 balls with 16 boundaries and one six. On a pitch known to challenge batters on Day 1, Jaiswal stood firm against England’s bowling attack and completed his century in the second session. This knock marks his fifth century in Test cricket, further cementing his rising stature.