India vs England Day 1 20/06/2025

 Day 1 of the India vs England Test at Headingley, Leeds (June 20, 2025):

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🏏 Match Overview – Day 1

Toss & Conditions: England’s captain Ben Stokes won the toss and surprisingly chose to bowl on a relatively flat, batting-friendly pitch — a decision heavily criticized later .

India’s Batting Dominance:

Yashasvi Jaiswal opened with intent, scoring a gritty 101 off 159 balls, battling even with hand cramps .

Shubman Gill, on his captaincy debut, smashed an aggressive 127 (175 balls)*—his fastest Test fifty in just 56 balls—solidifying his new leadership role .

Rishabh Pant contributed a brisk 65 (102 balls)*, boosting the total alongside Gill .

Score at Stumps: India finished Day 1 at 359/3 in 85 overs, posting one of the highest Day 1 totals by a touring side in England .

Bowling Analysis:

England’s bowlers generally struggled, with Ben Stokes being the only consistent wicket-taker (2/43) .

A notable moment: a rare five‑run penalty awarded to India when the ball deflected off Joe Root’s hand onto his helmet .

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🔍 Key Takeaways

Opening salvo: India’s dominant batting display underlines their depth and confidence—even without stalwarts Kohli and Sharma .

Captain’s knock: Gill’s century as captain marks a strong start to his leadership reign .

England’s gamble misfires: Choosing to bowl first backfired on Stokes, with conditions favoring batsmen more than anticipated .

Series context: This match inaugurates the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy, replacing the Pataudi Trophy from 2025 .

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📅 What to Watch Next

Day 2: Will England’s bowlers bounce back with the new ball at their disposal? Conditions could help seam movement.

India’s pursuit: Building on 359/3, India may push for a massive first-innings total.

Momentum: A dominant second day could set the tone for the rest of the five-Test series.