KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant (Source:@BCCI,x.com)
India stamped their authority over England on Day 1 of the first Test at Headingley, ending the day on a commanding 359/3, led by a sublime captain’s knock from Shubman Gill and equally impactful contributions from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant. While the batting dominance was the main highlight, it was KL Rahul’s heartfelt gesture toward Pant that captured social media attention.
Early Momentum From Jaiswal And KL Rahul
India got off to a fluent start as openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul stitched together a 91-run stand. Jaiswal was in commanding touch, displaying his full range of strokes. The star batter made 101-run off 159 deliveries at a strike-rate of 63.92. His knock featured 16 boundaries and one six. KL Rahul also looked steady before he was dismissed. However, the early wobble did not last long.
Taking charge in the middle, India’s newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, played with authority and elegance with an unbeaten 127 off 175 balls.
If Gill provided stability, Rishabh Pant brought the fireworks. The vice-captain remained unbeaten on 65 off 102 balls. His innings is decorated with six boundaries and two towering sixes.
KL Rahul's Kind Gesture For Rishabh Pant
The highlight came in the final over of the day when Rishabh Pant stepped out and launched Chris Woakes for a massive six off the very first delivery. Ben Stokes could only smile from the field while Woakes looked on in disbelief. But the most iconic reaction came moments later.
As Gill and Pant walked back to the pavilion at stumps, they were greeted with applause. At the top of the Headingley stairs, KL Rahul greeted Pant by folding his hands and bowing in respect. The moment was shared by BCCI on social media and quickly went viral in no time. Watch the video here.
It is important to mention that at the end of Day 1, India sit comfortably on 359/3 with a 138-run unbroken partnership between Gill and Pant.
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