• Source:JND
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IND vs ENG 5th Test: India's star batter Karun Nair finally ended his eight-year drought of scoring a fifty on the first day of the ongoing Test against England at the Oval. After being picked again in the playing XI even though he was seen struggling during the first three Tests, he finally stood up for the team and helped the side bounce back in overcast conditions on a green surface.

He scored a gritty knock of 52 runs off 98 balls, in which he had smashed seven fours and also built a brilliant partnership with batters like Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel, and Washington Sundar. On the back of his brilliant knock, the visitors were 204/6 while batting first on a tricky pitch.

Before entering this match, Nair hasn't done much to seal his position in India's playing XI. He had scored just 131 runs after batting in six innings at a poor average of 21.83, and his highest individual score was 40 runs. He had scored 30 and 41 runs during the first innings of the Birmingham and Lord's Test but couldn't convert them into a big knock.

But the team management backed him again and included him in the playing XI by replacing Shardul Thakur. Nair proved his naysayers wrong by scoring a gritty fifty, and that has boosted his confidence at an important time in his career.

This was his second fifty in his career, besides his famous triple ton against the same opponent way back in 2016. Ryan Ten Doeschate, Team India's assistant coach, heaped praise on Nair for his brilliant knock, as Nair controlled his rhythm even though his batting position changed throughout the series.

“Karun’s been asked to do a tough job on this tour—starting at No. 6 in the first Test and then shifting to No. 3. Despite the shuffling, his rhythm and tempo have been excellent. He’s a quality player, capable of absorbing pressure, and I thought he assessed the conditions very well today,” Ten Doeschate told reporters during the post-match press conference.

“I think today’s conditions suited Karun well—he came in during a phase not too different from what a No. 3 or 4 might experience. To his credit, he’s never complained. His mindset has been team-first, asking what job he can do. That attitude speaks volumes,” he concluded.

After scoring an unbeaten knock of 52 runs, Nair will try to grow his partnership with Sundar on the second day and help the team post a respectable target. He will also try to bring up his much-needed century.