London: On a rain-affected opening day of the fifth Test at The Oval, India battled early setbacks, questionable decisions, and unpredictable English bowling to reach 204 for 6 in 64 overs by stumps. Karun Nair’s unbeaten 52 and B Sai Sudharsan’s composed 38 stood out in an innings defined as much by grit as by missed opportunities and weather interruptions.
Sent into bat first, India made a cautious start under overcast skies. Yashasvi Jaiswal fell early, trapped lbw by Gus Atkinson after a successful DRS review overturned umpire Ahsan Raza’s original call. K L Rahul (14) and Sudharsan stitched a modest stand before Chris Woakes struck with a delivery that Rahul chopped onto his stumps. The dismissal left India wobbling at 38/2.
Shubman Gill looked elegant during his short stay, stroking four boundaries including a polished cover drive and a controlled pull. But a terrible mix-up led to his dismissal for 21 via a direct hit from Atkinson, with Sudharsan stranded mid-pitch trying to halt his captain's risky run.
Sudharsan played confidently, unfurling drives and cuts with authority. He reached 38 with six well-timed boundaries before falling to Josh Tongue, who produced a sharp delivery that squared him up and induced an edge behind to Jamie Smith. At 122 for 5, India were in trouble again.
The recovery was orchestrated by Karun Nair, who returned to Test cricket with a steely knock. Though not always fluent, he soaked up pressure and found boundaries at key intervals: a crisp drive off Tongue, a flick through square leg off Overton, and a full toss punished through cover point.
Dhruv Jurel added 19 before falling to a brute of a delivery from Atkinson, which leapt off a length and took the edge, brilliantly caught by Harry Brook at second slip. England had earlier wasted a review on Jurel, misjudging an outswinger that missed leg stump. Nair, meanwhile, survived a scare when England’s review for lbw was turned down with the ball clearly missing leg.
Washington Sundar played an ideal support role, adding 19 not out with a handful of handy boundaries, including a fine glance off Atkinson’s no-ball and a wristy flick through mid-wicket off Tongue.
The highlight of the day came in the 62nd over when Nair brought up a crucial 50, clipping Jacob Bethell for two behind square. The modest raise of the bat spoke of a man aware of the innings' importance, not just for India but for his own red-ball future. His 52 came off 89 balls, including seven boundaries.
India ended the day at 204 for 6, with a 50-run partnership between Nair and Sundar proving vital.
England’s bowlers, especially Atkinson and Tongue (with 2 wickets each), kept India under pressure with occasional brilliance, despite leaking 30 extras in just 64 overs.
Rain dominated large chunks of the day, restricting play and leaving the outfield slow, but India’s steady approach and resistance ensured they didn’t completely falter.
Weather: Rain delays restricted play to 64 overs
India will look to build beyond 300 on Day 2, while England will be eyeing early inroads with the second new ball just six overs away.
