The Indian opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul have shattered a historic record at Headingley, Leeds. Opening the batting alongside Jaiswal in the first Test at Leeds, the pair has shattered a historic record of former legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth.
Jaiswal and Rahul, who opened for India during the majority of the Border-Gavaskar series, began their partnership at the top after India were asked to bat first at Leeds. They notched up another fifty-plus stand and took the visitors off to a strong start.
Jaiswal and Rahul have shattered the 39-year-old record for the highest opening partnership at Leeds by an Indian pair. The previous highest record for the opening Indian stand at the venue belonged to Gavaskar and Srikkanth, when the duo had put up a stand of 64 in the first innings of the famous 1986 Test that India had won. This is the second opening partnership by an Indian pair of over fifty at the venue.
Jaiswal-Rahul end 12-year-wait for 50+ stand
Meanwhile, Jaiswal and Rahul have ended a 12-year wait for a 50+ stand by a visiting pair at Leeds in the first innings (innings 1 and 2 included out of 4). The last visiting pair to do so was New Zealand's Peter Fulton and Hamish Rutherford, the pair which had put 55 in 2013.
India were asked to bat first after England captain Ben Stokes had won the toss. "We'll bowl. Headingley is a very good cricket wicket. We've had some really good games here. Want to try and use the early conditions. Been a long time coming, bit strange that this is just the second series, but we're ready. It's been mixed, some lads have played county cricket, and we've had three days of really good cricket. Usual suspects in the top seven, Woakes, Brydon, Bashir, Tongue, and I make up the bowling," England captain Ben Stokes said at the toss.
"Would've bowled first as well, might be a bit tough in the first session, but it should be good to bat on later. The sun is out, should be a good batting deck for us. Preparation has been amazing, we played a practice game in Beckenham, the lads are feeling great. Sai makes his debut, and Karun comes in. Sai will bat at three," India skipper Gill said.
