Yashasvi Jaiswal Praises Shubman Gill's Leadership After Strong Test Partnership

Jaiswal's Admiration for Gill's Captaincy

Leeds [UK] June 21: Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has expressed his respect for the newly appointed Test captain Shubman Gill following their significant 129-run partnership on the first day of the Test match against England at Headingley. Jaiswal, who scored a brisk 101 runs off 159 deliveries, commended Gill's poise and steadiness at the crease, calling their collaboration "amazing."

During the post-match press conference, the 23-year-old left-handed batsman remarked, "We communicated a lot while batting and focused on taking it session by session, aiming to accumulate as many runs as possible. We made sure to capitalize on any loose deliveries."

The duo established a robust foundation for India after being asked to bat first, propelling the team past the 200-run mark. Although Jaiswal was dismissed shortly after Tea, Gill remained not out at 127 by the end of the day, demonstrating remarkable composure in his first match as captain.

Reflecting on their partnership and the leadership displayed, Jaiswal noted, "We had a great time together. The camaraderie was fantastic. Batting alongside him was a pleasure, and he performed exceptionally well. His calmness and composure were impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed batting under his leadership."

Jaiswal's innings, featuring sixteen boundaries and a six, was crucial in establishing India's early dominance in the match.

With Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant (65*) still at the crease, India aims to capitalize on their strong start as they concluded Day 1 at 359/3.

In this innings, Gill surpassed the 2,000-run mark in Test cricket, while Pant crossed the 3,000-run milestone.

England's captain Ben Stokes managed to take two wickets, finishing with figures of 2/43, while Brydon Carse contributed with one wicket for 70 runs.

India's total of 359 runs on the first day set a new record for their highest opening-day score in England, surpassing the previous best of 338/7 at Edgbaston in 2022. The last time a visiting team scored more than this on Day 1 in England was South Africa's 362/4 at The Oval in 2003.