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The first Test of the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy is currently underway at Headingley, Leeds. After being put to bat first, India posted mammoth 471 runs on board, courtesy centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), Shubman Gill (147) and Rishabh Pant (134). In reply to India’s 471, England posted 465 on the back of Ollie Pope’s 106 and 99 from Harry Brook and India took a lead of six runs.
Thereafter, Team India once again took the field and added 90 runs at the close of day three, thus posting a lead of 96 runs. However, they lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early (4 off 11), Sai Sudharsan also departed after scoring 30 off 48 deliveries. With KL Rahul standing firm in the middle, he was joined by skipper Shubman Gill.
KL Rahul scores 18th half-century in Test cricket on Day 4 as India takes lead past 100
With KL Rahul in the middle, on day four, he finally completed a fifty, his 18th half-century in the lpngest format of the game. Seeing KL Rahul play a gritty knock across both innings, Cheteshwar Pujara was full pf praise. "Technically, he's one of the most correct batsmen in the Indian Test team, and the way he times the ball, the way his footwork is, the way he judges the length, he looks like he's a complete Test player. But at the same time, he has to score big runs, and he's capable enough, but there are times where he gets off to a good start and then he gets out," Cheteshwar Pujara said on the broadcast.
"We saw in the first innings. It was a perfect time for him to capitalise. He batted really well. He gave us a good start, but after that, it was a bit disappointing to see him get out because it was a perfect opportunity for him to get that 100. But now this innings, it looks like he has started off really well once again. He's batting on 47. If he gets to that 50 mark, because that's a nervous time for KL Rahul. Once he crosses his 50, then most of the time he converts it into a big one," he added.
Speaking of the match, at the end of 43 overs, India had taken a lead to 144 runs with KL Rahul batting at unbeaten 64 off 144, alongside Rishabh Pant (25* off 42). Shubman Gill departed in the opening minutes, having scored eight off just 16 deliveries.
