India's Yashasvi Jaiswal was proud of a "very special" innings as he inflicted yet more pain upon England with a fine century in the first Test at Headingley on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The tourists enjoyed an ideal start to the five-match series, reaching stumps on the opening day in the dominant position of 359-3 as opener Jaiswal (101) and new captain Shubman Gill (127 not out) took a toll of England's attack.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gill said at the toss he would have fielded first had the coin come down in his favour.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
However, the decision to insert India by home captain Ben Stokes was branded as "staggering" by former England skipper Michael Vaughan -- who spent his entire senior career at Headingley, the headquarters of Yorkshire.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Not that 23-year-old left-hander Jaiswal, who last year scored a mammoth 712 runs in a home series win over England, was complaining.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"It was very special, it meant a lot to me," he said. "I just wanted to get in and do something for my team, for my country and for myself after the work I have put it. I loved it."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Reflecting on Gill's hundred -- his first innings at this level since succeeding Rohit Sharma as Test captain, Jaiswal said: "He played amazingly. He was very composed and calm all the time."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The last six Tests at Headingley have been won by the team fielding first, but Vaughan was adamant Stokes should have batted.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I'm an old-school traditionalist here at Leeds: when the sun is shining, with dry weather, you bat," he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"I was staggered when he (Stokes) said he was going to bowl," added Vaughan, commentating on the match for the BBC.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Traditions are out the window. You look at the England side and their strength is in the batting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"There is inexperience in the bowling at the moment, but Ben clearly had a gut feeling, and sometimes that has worked."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Moreover, Vaughan warned there was no guarantee England be on level terms at the end of their first innings given India's attack is led by outstanding fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"We won't know for sure until we see Jasprit Bumrah bowl on it (the pitch)," added Vaughan. "He can bowl you out with anything.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Until I see that, I will hold my judgment on how flat this pitch is."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England bowling consultant Tim Southee admitted it had been a tough day at the office for the home attack, with the recently retired New Zealand paceman saying: "When you win the toss and bowl you expect to make early inroads, but the Indian openers negotiated that first hour or so pretty well."<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He added: "You look at the surface and make the decision based on what you think will give you the best chance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n