New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) As India begins a new chapter in Test cricket with fresh leadership and a youthful core, veteran coach Badruddin Siddiqui, the childhood mentor of Mohammed Shami, has lauded the rise of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal after their superb centuries on Day 1 of the first Test against England at Headingley.

Speaking ahead of Day 2’s play, after India finished Day 1 on 359/3, Siddiqui said this was a series he had eagerly awaited — especially with the retirement of stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. And the performance of the young guns, particularly captain Gill and opener Jaiswal, gave him hope and joy for Indian cricket’s future.

“We had been waiting for this Test series for quite a while, especially because many new players are getting a chance in the Indian team,” Siddiqui told IANS. “All our experienced players have retired, so we were really looking forward to seeing how the new generation would perform.”

He was full of praise for Gill, who became only the fifth Indian captain to score a century in his first Test as skipper, and Jaiswal, who notched up his third ton against England — his first in English conditions.

“The start has been very good, just as we hoped. Shubman Gill scored a century as captain, and Jaiswal also made a hundred. It’s heartening to see the younger players taking responsibility,” Siddiqui added.

Highlighting the role of the selectors in backing young talent during a transition phase, Siddiqui said such trust was already paying off.

“The selection committee has shown great faith in these youngsters, and they are living up to that trust. Players who perform well will definitely get more opportunities going forward. It feels really good to see our new players doing so well.”

“People thought the team would become weak after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired, but we haven’t seen any signs of weakness at all. All the players have performed brilliantly, and I believe they’ll continue to get even better in the coming days.”

On the field, Shubman Gill (127* off 175 balls) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (101 off 159 balls) were the standout performers. Their 129-run partnership not only steadied the innings after early wickets but also put England’s bowling under sustained pressure. Jaiswal’s innings, studded with 16 boundaries and a six, came despite battling cramps in both hands — a gritty knock in classic English seaming conditions.

Vice-captain Rishabh Pant also played a key role, remaining unbeaten on 65 at stumps.

–IANS

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