Yashasvi Jaiswal must be experiencing this. Test cricket is easy. over 1900 runs, twenty games, and three of the five centuries were played abroad. In addition to foreign countries, this is his first time in the Caribbean (Roseau, 2023), Australia (Perth, 2024), and England (Leeds).

Living in the fast lane hasn't been as beneficial for Shubman Gill. He is two years older than the opener from Mumbai, at 25. The stylist had five hundreds from 32 games up to Friday, all of which were outside Asia. In fact, he hadn't reached fifty in 18 innings in the West Indies, England, South Africa, and Australia since hitting 91 in his first series in Brisbane in January 2021. He must have felt the pinch when he made his debut at Headingley as India's 37th Test captain.

In the opening day of Indian cricket's most recent transition phase, the calm right-hander and the high-flying left-hander joined forces to lead a day of total dominance. It must be really gratifying to have taken the lead in a day-one total of 359 for three. Jaiswal, who was out for 101 in the post-tea session, will watch his batting teammates from the dressing room, while Gill, who became the fifth Indian to hit a century on his captaincy debut, will be able to build on his unbroken 127, which is just one run shy of his best Test score.

In his brief media interview on Friday night, Tim Southee, the former New Zealand fast bowler and captain who is now a special skills consultant with the English setup, used the phrase "very good surface" more than six times. Undoubtedly, the 22-yard strip is precisely what it is. However, the emphasis in the run-up has been on the two men who aren't here—the recently retired duo of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma—rather than the many who are. As a result, it's one thing to be given first use of a batting beauty, but quite another to take advantage of the gift.

Jaiswal flourished as a Test opener beneath and alongside Rohit; the older, wiser, more mature, and prescient Rohit saw in his younger mate an outstanding talent whose greatest enemy was, in all likelihood, himself. In order to prevent his opening partner from getting overly excited by success, the then skipper did everything he could. Everything suggests that Rohit's efforts have not been futile.

Gill has never had a problem with discipline. When India won the junior World Cup in New Zealand in 2018, he and his captain were marked for bigger things right from their Under-19 days. As a result of his own dalliances, Prithvi Shaw has gone by the wayside. In contrast, Gill has steadily improved, and his newfound position as captain of the Test team is a vote of confidence from the selectors in not only his talent but also his disposition and leadership skills.

Complete supremacy

On the first day of the first Test, Jaiswal and Gill completely destroyed Ben Stokes' England team. Alongside the composed KL Rahul, Jaiswal was the first to have a bite at the cherry, so to speak. The opening-day blues were dispelled by their 91-run opening salvo, which also calmed the atmosphere in the cabin and provided a sense of perspective. Jaiswal was more of the broadsword in that partnership, producing raspy cuts when England gave him width, while Rahul was the rapier, driving beautifully through the covers. However, when the bowlers went full in search of swing, Jaiswal also pleased the aesthete with peachy drives down the straight field.

Gill has the same laid-back, effortless grace as Rahul. In contrast to Rahul's extreme attractiveness off the front foot, Gill excels on the back foot, whether he's executing the short-arm jab-pull, which is a classic Gill technique, or when he rocks back and crisply meets the ball with an almost vertical bat as he directs it through point. He assumed the captaincy with practiced ease, starting with an aggressive intent devoid of frills and adventurism, and making up for Jaiswal's struggles with a cramping attack in both forearms.

When Jaiswal scored his century, Gill rejoiced, but he must have been somewhat saddened when Stokes bowled him out with a fantastic delivery soon after their 129-run partnership. Recognizing the shift in the game, he prioritized barndoor defense for a bit—just a bit, as Rishabh Pant got his eye in—before pushing forward on the back of a second wind, keeping his tryst with his first non-Asia hundred with the most mellifluous of cover-drives against Josh Tongue.

His first day as the Test captain was rather impressive. "Take a bow, Shubman," one was about to say, but that's just what he did with his signature celebration. Do you say the captain's first of several bows?

Read Also: Shubman Gill Crowned New ‘King’ as Virat Kohli Is Dethroned, Says Former India Cricketer After 127*

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