Karun Nair was the best striker of day 1 for India when he negotiated the English Pacers with a great mindset and a technique.
Testing Cricket has a way to test not only skills, but also, and Karun Nair knows it better than most. On a day 1 at the oval which touched the rain, where India was sent for the 15th consecutive time after losing another draw, the striker was a trial by fire. The movement of the seam, the unpredictable rebound and the constant interruptions made a nightmare for the strikers. However, in the midst of all this, Nair produced a sleeve which could be remembered as the moment he saved his test career.
Karun Nair saves the test career on day 1
Its 52 undefeated bullets of 98 helped India to make its way to 204 for 6, keeping them alive in a match. Although we have seen enough fifty in this series, get one when you lose more than half of your team in 200 points is a phenomenal effort.
It was a blow for the acquisition for Nair who took 3149 days in preparation. Since his unforgettable triple century against England in Chennai in 2016, he had spent almost nine years without crossing fifty in test crickets. Between the two, an eight -year -old exile, a bucket of shopping in domestic cricket and a painful omission in Manchester. But with India opting for an additional striker on a green ground, he had a last chance, and he seized it.
What has stood out the most is Nair’s composure under conditions. He left judiciously, defended with soft hands and jumped on all the rare score opportunities. It was the kind of temperament that India needed one day when their first order had trouble finding answers. Its fifty is now the second largest gap between two fifty scores by an Indian, behind the expectation of Parthiv Patel, 4426 days, and comes after a series where its previous one was only 40 at Lord’s.
Can NAIR extend his test career on day 2?
The challenge, however, is difficult from here. With the almost exposed tail and the conditions likely to remain difficult during the first session, Nair’s ability to sneak and push India to a competitive total could be decisive. With only Washington Sundar for support and tail to follow, Nair must bring together the lower order if India is to push around 300, a total which could be defined per match given the conditions.
For a striker whose test career seemed to the brink only a week ago, this round has already rewritten the story. Convert it into three digits and it would dab its authority. Nair still belongs.
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Cricket Ind VS Eng: Can Karun Nair transform Griticty Fifty into a career on day 2?
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