Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul provided India with a composed and assured start in the one-off Test against Afghanistan at New Delhi, helping the side reach 96/1 at lunch on Day 1 after electing to bat. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar credited the pair with calming dressing-room anxiety on a pitch whose early-morning behaviour remained an unknown quantity.

The Opening Session

Jaiswal contributed a brisk 24 before being dismissed — caught down the leg side in circumstances Gavaskar described as unfortunate. Rahul, unbeaten on 37 at the lunch interval, went on to convert his start into a century, while Sai Sudharsan added a composed 81 before falling later in the innings. The opening stand gave India a platform that proved decisive across the day.

What Gavaskar Said

'On day one, when you get off to a start of almost a hundred and have lost just one wicket, you've done really well. They managed to negate whatever early assistance the seam bowlers received,' Gavaskar told Jio Hotstar. He added: 'Yashasvi was unlucky to get out, strangled down the leg side. On the first day, there are always nerves in the dressing room about what the pitch is going to do because nobody really knows, so he and Rahul helped settle those nerves.'

Gavaskar also praised the overall batting approach despite Rahul surviving a couple of early scares. 'The way they batted was impressive, and some of the shots Jaiswal played were particularly pleasing. He didn't score too many runs, and Rahul had a couple of close shaves early on, but overall, I thought both of them batted really well,' he said.

Swann on Rahul's Counter-Attacking Approach

Former England spinner Graeme Swann also weighed in, backing Rahul to press on after surviving the difficult opening phase against Afghanistan's seam attack. 'First and foremost, you'll probably be thinking, Right, I've done the hard bit by getting through the crucial first two hours. Now is the time to be patient. They are relatively inexperienced spinners in the grand scheme of things, so they are bound to bowl the occasional loose delivery,' Swann said.

Swann highlighted Rahul's willingness to go over the top against spin as a key pressure-transfer tactic. 'As soon as the spinners overpitched, Rahul was happy to hit over the top, which is a nightmare for any spin bowler. Rahul is not the ideal batter to bowl to in your first Test match; he will take you on if you err in your line or length,' he added. The observation underlines a recurring pattern in Rahul's batting — when the conditions ease, his intent shifts markedly.

Impact on India's Innings

Rahul's eventual century and Sudharsan's 81 ensured India capitalised fully on the foundation laid in the first session. Notably, this one-off Test represents a rare opportunity for fringe players to press their case ahead of a demanding international calendar. The solid first-day showing will give India's camp significant confidence heading into the remaining days of the match.