WATCH: Ben Stokes absolute 'Jaffa' gets well set Yashasvi Jaiswal in ongoing first Test between England and India

Ben Stokes produced a moment of brilliance just when England desperately needed a breakthrough on Day 1 of the first Test against India at Headingley. With India in complete control after a wicketless afternoon session, England’s captain took matters into his own hands, bringing himself on for the second over after tea. On just his third delivery, Stokes bowled an absolute ‘jaffa’ to dismiss the well-set Yashasvi Jaiswal, sending the top of the off stump cartwheeling and lifting the hosts' spirits.

It was a good length ball angled in from outside off, with just a hint of movement that beat Jaiswal's straight bat and clipped the bail—a classic bail-trimmer. Jaiswal walked back for a sublime 101 off 145 balls, an innings laced with 15 fours and a six. His knock was a masterclass in off-side play, with only nine of his first 100 runs coming on the leg side. The left-hander cut and drove England’s seamers into submission on a warm Leeds afternoon, and in the process, he became the first Indian batter to score a century in his debut Test in both Australia and England.

This latest century also extended Jaiswal’s remarkable record against England—he now has 813 Test runs against them in just 10 innings. His third-wicket partnership with Shubman Gill was worth 123 runs at the tea interval. Gill, captaining India in Tests for the first time, played with intent and flair, reaching his half-century in just 56 balls—his fastest in the format—as England’s inexperienced bowling unit toiled hard in challenging conditions.

Pant Returns with a Bang, Stokes Has a Laugh

Following Jaiswal’s dismissal, Rishabh Pant walked in to bat for the first time in a Test match since his return from injury. He had missed India’s 4-1 home series win over England in early 2024 while recovering from his serious car accident. But the keeper-batter wasted no time settling in. On just his second ball, he charged down the track and lofted Stokes over his head for a boundary, drawing a smile from the England captain.

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See Also: ENG vs IND: 'Jais-Ball better than 'Bazball'—Fans react as Yashasvi Jaiswal scores his maiden century in England

Pant, who scored a memorable 146 off 111 in his last Test against England at Edgbaston in 2022, looked keen to carry on from where he left off. A misfired off-cutter from Stokes moments later brought more smiles between the two players, as Pant calmly pushed the dipping full toss away in defense. At tea, India was strongly placed at 215 for 2, with Jaiswal’s elegant ton and Gill’s assertive knock giving them the perfect platform in the series opener.