India would win at The Oval to draw the series. England’s hopes of beating India in a Test series for the first time since 2018 was not to be. India’s dream of winning a Test series in England after 18 years too was not realised but a draw was better than a defeat. When one considers that the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Shreyas Iyer were not in the squad, a drawn series is something to write home about.
India saw some brave cricket by Rishabh Pant in the Manchester Test vs England. Despite suffering a very bad foot injury, Pant walked out to bat and scored some crucial runs after having retired hurt. The southpaw hit a half-century and helped the visitors go past 350. He was also available to bat in the second innings if needed. Luckily he was not and India drew the game. Of course, it meant he was out of the final Test at The Oval.
As is always the case with famous Test series away from home, India’s 2-2 against England was sprinkled with many brilliant stories of individual valor and team brilliance. One such story has emerged about Karun Nair, the middle-order batter who made a comeback after eight years for the country.
As per a report in the Times of India, Karun Nair too suffered an injury while batting in the second innings at The Oval. It happened when he faced a rising delivery and he suffered a finger fracture. So not just Pant, Nair too batted with an injury. He made 17 in the second innings after scoring an impressive 57 in the first innings. India eventually won by six runs.
The injury has now ruled him out of the 2025 Duleep Trophy. As one of the most in-form batters (863 runs at an average of 53 for Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha) on the domestic circuit in the past few years, he was likely to be a sure-shot selection in the Central Zone, but will now use the time for rehab and recovery.
From next season onwards, he’d be up for selection in the South Zone as he has moved allegiances from Vidarbha to Karnataka, his home state, which he left a few years ago.
Nair is one of two active Test triple centurions in the world at the moment. The other one is a man who tormented India throughout the Test series in England and that’s Harry Brook. Nair’s triple ton came against England itself. This was back in Chennai in 2016 when he made 303 not out and India made their highest Test score of 759/7. His 57 at The Oval was his first 50-plus score since that knock.
