India's Fightback on Tough Day 1 of 5th Test at Oval - Best11.in cricket news

Hello, welcome to Rough to Cricket! A warm welcome to everyone on the first day of the fifth Test at the Oval, where conditions were extremely tough. It was in those conditions that Karun Nair showcased his fighting spirit and scored that half-century. He was the one who led India’s remarkable fightback in a big way. Everyone is praising him, and didn’t you see the moment yesterday when even Joe Root came to congratulate him after the day’s play during the stumps? That’s the kind of fighting spirit Karun Nair displayed—he played with incredible determination. He’s currently batting, having scored 52 runs off 98 balls, while Washington Sundar is also at the crease with 19 runs off 45 balls.

Yesterday was a rain-affected day, with only 64 overs bowled. India, at the loss of six wickets, scored 204 runs. Looking at the scoreboard, some might think it’s a poor score, but given those conditions, it’s fair to say it’s an excellent score. The fast bowlers were breathing fire, and in that phase, Karun Nair’s half-century, Sai Sudharsan’s 38 runs, and Washington Sundar’s unbeaten 19 runs stood out.

The English bowlers put up a commendable performance, with Josh Tongue bowling like he was spitting fire. He took two wickets for 47 runs in 13 overs. Gus Atkinson gave away 31 runs in 19 overs and also picked up two wickets. Chris Woakes, unfortunately, had to leave the field due to a shoulder injury, and more updates are awaited. He took one wicket for 46 runs in 14 overs. For India, the opening partnership of Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul could only manage 10 runs together. Jaiswal was dismissed in the fourth over itself for just 2 runs, trapped LBW by Atkinson. KL Rahul scored 14 runs off 40 balls before being bowled by Woakes. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan tried to steady the innings, but Gill was run out in a mix-up, failing to return to the crease in time, dismissed by Atkinson for 21 runs off 35 balls. That was a significant blow. Sai Sudharsan faced 108 balls for 38 runs before being caught by Jamie Smith off Josh Tongue’s bowling.

Ravindra Jadeja, despite a strong performance in the previous match, couldn’t continue that form in these conditions. He was caught by Smith off Tongue’s bowling, scoring 9 runs off 13 balls. Dhruv Jurel scored 19 runs off 40 balls before being caught by Harry Brook off Atkinson’s bowling. Washington Sundar remains at the crease with 19 runs, and Karun Nair has been the cornerstone of this fightback. When India were struggling at 83 for three, he came to the crease and has now taken the team to 204. 

At 204 for six, conditions are expected to improve slightly today, likely favoring the batters. For India, the last recognized batting pair is at the crease, and the hope is that this partnership can push forward as much as possible.