Day one of the Test match between India and England at Headingley witnessed a dominant batting display by the Indian side, spearheaded by centurions Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill. While India asserted control on the field, an off-field moment involving former cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar stirred controversy online, interpreted as a subtle critique of recently retired Test great, Virat Kohli.

India's new-look batting lineup flourished after being put in to bat by England. Shubman Gill, in his debut match as Test captain, led from the front with a composed 127 not out, joining an elite group of players including Sunil Gavaskar and Virat Kohli to score a century in his first Test as skipper. His innings included a crucial 129-run partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket. Jaiswal, the aggressive opener, scored a fluent 101, marking his fifth Test hundred and third against England. He achieved the remarkable feat of scoring centuries on his Test debut, his first Test in Australia, and now his first in England. Rishabh Pant, joining Gill at the crease, continued India's strong momentum, finishing the day unbeaten on 65 with an aggressive approach, including a spectacular swiped six off Chris Woakes.

The day concluded with India in a commanding position at 359/3, built on an unbroken 138-run stand between Gill and Pant. KL Rahul, who scored 42 at the top of the innings, was seen welcoming Gill with a pat on the back and bowing to Pant in the dressing room, acknowledging their superb performances. India's strong performance underscored the team's depth, particularly significant given the absence of retired stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

However, the day wasn't without its talking points beyond the boundary. During the commentary, Sanjay Manjrekar praised KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal's disciplined shot selection and patience outside the off-stump. He remarked, “So a lot of what you're seeing is being created by these two batters. And my hat, there's another example of it we know of. A former batter would have gone after that delivery and got himself into trouble, but not these two. And that's why I believe.” This seemingly innocuous comment quickly went viral, with social media users widely interpreting it as a veiled jab at Virat Kohli, who has notoriously struggled with off-stump discipline in recent years, particularly during India-Australia Tests. Kohli's tendency to chase deliveries outside off has been a known weakness throughout his career.

The comment gained further traction given that it came just weeks after Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May, concluding a 14-year red-ball career with 9,230 runs in 123 matches and 27 centuries. Despite his illustrious achievements, Kohli's final phase in Tests was marked by a string of dismissals edging to the slips, making Manjrekar's subtle reference resonate with fans. Though Kohli may have exited the Test arena, his presence and the lingering discussions about his playing style continue to echo, even subtly, in commentary boxes.

Conversely, England's decision to bowl first on a dry Headingley pitch proved costly. The hosts struggled to make inroads, particularly without their veteran pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have retired, and injured fast bowlers Jofre Archer and Mark Wood. Despite dismissing KL Rahul for 42 and debutant Sai Sudharsan for zero, England's bowlers, including Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue, found it difficult to break the partnerships that followed. England bowling coach Tim Southee acknowledged the tough day for his team, stating, “The openers did well early on, particularly Rahul....There were two great knocks, Jaiswal and Pant are class players.” He expressed hope that England would make inroads on the second day.