Karun Nair scores a fighting fifty as India reach 204/6 on a green Oval pitch, exposing England’s inexperienced bowling attack.Green Pitch Tests India’s Grit
The Oval pitch finally brought life into the series with a green surface under cloudy skies. India, once again losing the toss, had to bat first in very tough conditions. But Karun Nair’s determined half-century helped India reach 204/6 by stumps, giving hope on a day dominated by seam movement and inconsistent weather.
Gill’s Run-Out a Big Blow
India lost both openers early, with Yashasvi Jaiswal trapped by a sharp delivery from Atkinson. Shubman Gill looked solid, setting a good example in tough conditions. However, a misjudged single led to his run-out by a direct throw from Atkinson. It was a costly mistake as Gill and Sudharsan had started to settle in.
England Bowlers Lack Control
Gus Atkinson bowled an excellent first spell, giving away just seven runs in six overs. But the rest of the attack lacked discipline. Josh Tongue took two wickets but leaked runs at 3.6 an over. Jamie Overton also struggled with rhythm. Chris Woakes injured his shoulder during fielding and walked off, adding to England’s worries.
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Crucial Wickets Before Tea
Only six overs were bowled between lunch and tea, but they included Gill’s run-out. His 45-run partnership with Sudharsan brought calm to India’s innings. After tea, Tongue bowled two unplayable deliveries to remove Sudharsan and Jadeja. India’s score slipped to 123/5 — their lowest first-innings score at the fall of the fifth wicket in the series.
Karun Nair and Jurel Show Fight
Karun Nair and Dhruv Jurel added 30 quick runs for the sixth wicket. Jurel then edged to slips, but Nair continued to fight. He found support from Washington Sundar, who helped calm things. England’s bowlers lost control in this phase, leaking runs on both sides. Extras also added up — 30 out of India’s 204 runs.
Karun Nair’s Fifty Ends the Day Strong
Late in the day, Nair reached his well-deserved half-century with a glance towards backward square. He remained unbeaten on 52 at stumps. India will now hope that Nair and Sundar build a solid partnership on Day 2 and take the score past 300 to gain an edge in this series-deciding Test match.
Brief Scores:
India 204/6 (Nair 52*, Sudharsan 38; Tongue 2/47, Atkinson 2/31) vs England
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