NEW DELHI: India’s young batting star Yashasvi Jaiswal produced a fighting, memorable hundred in the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday. Battling intense hand cramps and visible discomfort, the 23-year-old showed remarkable grit and composure to reach his fifth century in Test cricket.Despite the physical struggle, Jaiswal stood tall against a lacklustre England bowling attack, dispatching deliveries with power and precision. His aggressive intent never waned as he punished anything loose with confidence, scoring freely across all parts of the ground.Jaiswal reached his hundred off 159 deliveries — an innings that featured 16 crisp boundaries and a towering six. It was a perfect mix of resilience and flair as he carried India forward with an authoritative knock.The emotional moment of his century was captured and shared online by 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, a rising cricket talent who idolises Jaiswal. In the video, Jaiswal is seen on 99 before nudging a single off Brydon Carse to bring up his hundred. His celebration was full of passion — a loud roar, a leap in the air, helmet off, arms stretched, followed by a warm hug from Shubman Gill at the other end.
With this knock, Jaiswal entered an elite list of Indian batters who have scored centuries in their maiden Test innings on English soil. The list includes:Murali Vijay’s 146 at Trent Bridge in 2014Vijay Manjrekar’s 133 at Headingley in 1952Sourav Ganguly’s iconic 131 at Lord’s in 1996Sandeep Patil’s unbeaten 129 at Old Trafford in 1982And now, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s unbeaten 100 at Headingley in 2025
Jaiswal’s superb innings eventually came to an end when England captain Ben Stokes produced a beauty. The delivery pitched on a good length around off stump, straightened slightly, and Jaiswal — playing across the line — missed it completely. His stumps were left shattered, bringing a spectacular innings to a close.As he walked back, the Headingley crowd and his teammates rose to applaud a knock full of courage, skill, and heart.
