Karun Nair's Resilience Shines as India Battles England at The Oval
India's Fightback on Day One of the Fifth Test
On August 1, during the first day of the fifth Test against England at The Oval, Karun Nair showcased remarkable resilience, scoring a crucial half-century. His partnership with Washington Sundar, who also remained unbeaten, helped India recover after a shaky start.
By the end of the day's play, India stood at 204/6, with Nair not out on 52 and Sundar contributing 19, having built a vital 51-run partnership after the team had faltered at 153/6.
Resuming the final session at 85/3, Nair and Sai Sudharsan (28*) took to the crease with a positive approach, with Sudharsan hitting two boundaries off Jamie Overton. India crossed the 100-run mark in 34.3 overs.
However, Sudharsan's innings ended when he edged a delivery from Josh Tongue to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, departing after 108 balls with a score of 38, including six fours. India was then at 101/4.
Ravindra Jadeja's innings was brief, as he fell for nine runs after just 13 balls, caught by Smith off another Tongue delivery. India was now at 123 runs.
Jurel looked promising with two boundaries but was dismissed for 19 after edging a ball to Harry Brook at slips, leaving India at 153/6.
Despite the setbacks, Nair continued to score, hitting two fours against Overton and reaching his half-century in 90 balls, featuring seven fours. India crossed the 200-run mark in 61.1 overs.
Nair and Sundar ensured that India ended the day without losing any further wickets.
India began the second session at 72/2, with Gill (15*) and Sudharsan (25*) at the crease.
Things were looking up until skipper Gill attempted a risky single, resulting in his run-out for 21 runs off 35 balls, which included four boundaries. India was now at 83/3.
Following a rain interruption, the second session concluded at 85/3, with Nair (0*) and Sudharsan (28*) still at the crease.
After rain had previously disrupted play, India managed to score 72/2 in 23 overs, with Gill and Sudharsan unbeaten at 15* and 25* respectively.
Rain had already made its presence felt before the match began. Under overcast skies, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul attempted to navigate a challenging phase.
In the absence of Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson made an impact on India's top order with his pace. An inward angling delivery struck Jaiswal just below the knee-roll, leading to confusion among the England players.
Even captain Ben Stokes appeared uncertain before reviewing the play. The replay confirmed that the ball had passed Jaiswal's bat, leading to his dismissal for just 2 runs off 9 balls.
KL Rahul tried to stabilize the innings alongside Sudharsan, but was soon dismissed by Chris Woakes, who bowled him out for 14 runs after 40 balls, leaving India in a precarious position.
Gill then entered the fray, bringing calmness with his composed batting, hitting three boundaries to recover from the early losses. However, rain returned, forcing an early lunch.
Brief Scores: India: 204/6 (Karun Nair 52*, Sai Sudharsan 38, Gus Atkinson 2/31) vs England.