Yashasvi Jaiswal gave yet another proof of his growing stature in Indian cricket by slamming his fifth Test ton on Friday. Playing his maiden innings on the English soil, Jaiswal played with absolute control and withstood pain to reach his first ton in England in 144 balls at Leeds. With the ton, Jaiswal is now the first Indian batter in the country’s 93 years Test history (India first played a Test in 1932 against England at Lord’s) to score a ton in his first match in both England and Australia. In the recently held 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy, Jaiswal slammed a ton in Perth. 

Jaiswal has also joined an elite club consisting  Sourav Ganguly, Vijay Manjrekar and three other Indians who have scored a ton in their maiden innings in England. 

Hundreds for India in maiden Test innings in England

133 Vijay Manjrekar Headingley 1952

131 Sourav Ganguly Lord’s 1996

129* Sandeep Patil Old Trafford 1982

146 M Vijay Trent Bridge 2014

100* Yashasvi Jaiswal Headingley 2025

Yashasvi Jaiswal made a characterful hundred and skipper Shubman Gill crafted a graceful fifty as India punished a lacklustre England to reach a formidable 215 for two at tea on the first day of the opening Test of the five-match series here on Friday.

They were as different as chalk and cheese, but both Gill (58 not out) and Jaiswal (100 not out) found immense success with their respective methods during an unbroken 123-run alliance for the third wicket.

Jaiswal brought up his 5th hundred in Test cricket off 144 balls and Gill his eighth half-century off 56 deliveries in his first outing as India Test captain, underlining the different route they travelled on the day.

England might see this innings as an ominous early sign from Jaiswal that he might just replicate that 712-run series against them in India last year.

It was not a typical Jaiswal innings where he simply flayed the bowlers around, but he showed admirable self-restraint, particularly outside the off-stump.

The left-hander was dismissed in that channel a couple of times while playing for India A against the England Lions in the recent tour matches, but here the 23-year-old did not repeat his mistakes.

He was also copiously assisted by the England bowlers, who struggled to discover the right line and length on a flaccid track. Their profligacy meant that the Indian batters received ample scoring opportunities.

Even amidst his restrained avatar, Jaiswal brought some cracking shots off the shelf such as a crisp off-drive off pacer Josh Tongue or a carved six off the same bowler.

With PTI inputs