Sachin Tendulkar rubs salt on England's wounds after India dominate Day 1, Sourav Ganguly's reaction adds to the agony
Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal slammed brilliant centuries on the opening day of the first Test, drawing an interesting comparison from Sachin Tendulkar.
Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal lit up Headingley on Friday with fluent centuries, powering India to a commanding 359/3 on the opening day of the first Test against England. Both batters smashed brilliant centuries, with Jaiswal scoring 101 while the newly-appointed Indian captain Gill staying unbeaten for 127 at the end of the day's play. As the pair stamped its authority in the newly inaugurated Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, their performance evoked memories of India’s iconic triumph at the same venue in 2002, a sentiment echoed by two legends of that era, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
India, now under the fresh leadership of Gill, made a statement of intent after being put into bat. Jaiswal set the tone early, while Gill stood tall with an unbeaten century, anchoring the innings through the day. Vice-captain Rishabh Pant joined the party with a steady 65 not out, helping India seize control in what was expected to be a tricky start to a five-match series.
Also read: 'Shubman Gill should not have been captain, I was against it': Big revelation after he hits 127* on captaincy debut
Tendulkar watched the action unfold and couldn’t help but compare it to his memorable knock at Headingley 23 years ago.
“A solid foundation laid by @klrahul and @ybj_19 enabled India to have a good day. Congratulations to Yashasvi and @ShubmanGill for their brilliant centuries. @RishabhPant17’s contribution was equally important for the team,” Tendulkar wrote on X.
“India’s batting today reminded me of the Headingley Test in 2002, when Rahul, @SGanguly99, and I scored hundreds in the first innings, and we went on to win the Test. Today, Yashasvi and Shubman have done their part. Who will be the third centurion this time?"
Ganguly's reply
The episode didn’t stop there. Ganguly, who scored 128 in that famous 2002 innings alongside Tendulkar’s 193 and Dravid’s 148, responded in kind.
“Hi, Champ... this time it could be 4.. on this good surface... Pant and maybe Karun.. the surface on day 1 in 2002.. was a bit different than this..” he replied, sparking fan reactions across social media.
Tendulkar, in response, added a fingers-crossed emoji, a gesture that resonated with fans yearning for more similar displays in the Indian batting lineup in the first Test. While Pant is nearing his century, Karun Nair also remains in immaculate touch with the bat, having scored a double ton during India A's match against England Lions ahead of the series.
