England Claim Late Wickets to Fight Back Against India at Headingley

In the opening Test of the five-match series at Headingley, India began strongly with openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal putting on a solid partnership, reaching 91 before two quick wickets late in the session shifted momentum to England. England captain Ben Stokes' decision to bowl first, following the trend of the last six Tests at the venue being won by the side bowling first, initially seemed risky as India took advantage of erratic bowling from England, who were missing key pace bowlers due to injury. Brydon Carse, on his home Test debut, broke through with the wicket of Rahul, caught by Joe Root, followed by Stokes himself dismissing debutant Sai Sudharsan for a duck just before lunch. Despite the humid conditions favoring batting, England's new-ball attack struggled with line and length, leading to a promising start for India. However, the late wickets gave England a foothold in the contest as India ended the morning session at 92 for two, with Jaiswal unbeaten on 42. The match also included a moment of respect with a minute's silence for victims of a recent Air India plane crash, with players wearing black armbands.