Leeds, June 20: India’s opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and K.L. Rahul stamped their authority at Headingley with a record-breaking stand, becoming the most successful Indian openers at the venue in Test cricket in the ongoing first Test of the five-match series on Friday.

The stylish left-right combination put together 91 runs for the first wicket, surpassing the 64-run mark set by legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth back in 1986 — a record that stood unchallenged for 39 years.

After England captain Ben Stokes opted to bowl first under overcast skies, Jaiswal and Rahul faced a disciplined new-ball attack led by Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse. The Indian openers started cautiously, showing sound judgment outside off and immense patience.

As the session wore on, both batters found fluency—Rahul unfurling elegant drives through cover, and Jaiswal playing with a mix of controlled aggression and solid technique.

Their partnership of 91 runs was a masterclass in shot selection and temperament, with the pair collecting 16 boundaries, all via classical strokes through the offside. Despite a few testing deliveries—most notably a nasty ribcage blow to Jaiswal from Carse—the duo looked in complete control. For a while, England appeared bereft of ideas, even burning a DRS review on a delivery that pitched comfortably outside leg stump.

Just as it seemed India would head to lunch with all ten wickets intact, England roared back in the final six balls of the session to peg the visitors back. Brydon Carse provided the much-needed breakthrough with a wide outswinger that KL Rahul edged to Joe Root at first slip for a composed 42.

Then, on debut, Sai Sudharsan lasted just four balls before falling to a leg-side strangle off Ben Stokes—caught behind by Jamie Smith for a duck.

Those two quick wickets brought life back into a contest that was rapidly tilting India’s way. Despite the wobble, Yashasvi Jaiswal remained unbeaten on 44 at lunch, continuing to look assured after his stellar showing in the previous India-England series w, where he tallied over 700 runs.

--IANS

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