The opening day often dictates the way a series could pan out. Going by that yardstick, Shubman Gill's team has certainly pushed England into a corner at Headingley in Leeds.

Put into bat on Friday, India rode centuries from opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Gill to reach 359/3 at stumps.

Gill couldn't have expected a better start to his captaincy innings. Batting at No. 4, a position which had been locked for more than two decades by two all-time greats Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, Gill showed that he had it in him to meet the expectations.

The India captain batted fluently for his unbeaten 127 while Jaiswal scored almost exclusively on the off side to reach 101 off 159 balls. Keeping Gill company is vice-captain Rishbah Pant, with 65 off 102 balls. The two have so far added 138 runs off 198 balls for the fourth-wicket.

The start to the tour in England has been similar to Australia for Jaiswal, who had also begun with a century in the opening Test in Perth.

Wrong call?

Despite the clear, humid Headingley conditions favouring the batting side, England chose to bowl first, perhaps guided by the fact that the previous six Leeds Tests had been won by the side bowling first.

But Jaiswal and KL Rahul dismissed English ambitions with a 91-run opening stand. Stokes's decision initially seemed ill-advised, with the India openers exposing the chinks in England's bowling.

Missing numerous frontline fast bowlers through injury, it was left to Brydon Carse, making his first Test start on home soil, to make the crucial breakthrough just as Rahul was settling in on 42, before debutant Sai Sudharsan too fell, on the last ball before lunch for a disappointing duck.

Returning from the break on 92/2, the pressure was on Gill to shift the momentum back in India's favour. Supported by Jaiswal, who sailed to his sixth half-century in 10 innings against England, Gill showed his class with his fastest-ever Test 50.

Jaiswal jig

Jaiswal, despite receiving treatment for an injury to his hand throughout the session, took the limelight from the skipper, storming to his fifth century from just 20 matches, his third against England.

It was not a typical Jaiswal innings where he simply flayed the bowlers around, but instead showed admirable caution, particularly outside the off-stump. The left-hander was dismissed in that channel a couple of times while playing for India A against the England Lions in the recent tour matches.

He was also copiously assisted by the England bowlers, who struggled to discover the right line and length on a placid track. The opener feasted on their profligacy with some sweetly-timed drives down the wicket. Jaiswal's inconsistent form led to a lot of chatter during the two practice matches with India A. Not without reason did head coach Gautam Gambhir spend a lot of time with the left-handed opener in Beckenham, Kent.

He fell in the second over after tea, a tired-looking stroke, as Ben Stokes claimed his second wicket with one which nipped back sharply.

Jaiswal's innings was a masterclass in off-side strokeplay - only nine of his first 100 runs came on the leg side, and he cut and drove England's seamers into submission.

India's new-look batting line-up has made a bold statement to kick off the tour.