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Karun Nair proved his batting prowess and roared with a spellbinding unbeaten 186 as India A posted a big total of 409/3 against England Lions at the close of Day 1 in their first four-day unofficial Test at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury on May 30, Friday.
Karun Nair's unbeaten 186 lift India A to 409/3 on Day 1
However, the hosts initially had the upper hand during the first hour of play, with both openers, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Yashasvi Jaiswal, back in the pavilion. Easwaran will likely be disappointed, as he had an opportunity to stake a claim for Rohit Sharma's opening spot after his retirement, but the India A captain only managed a single-digit score of 8. Jaiswal, despite looking promising, played a reckless shot that cost him his wicket.
Interestingly, Karun Nair, who has primarily scored his domestic runs in the middle order, was slotted in at number three. However, the 33-year-old embraced the challenge. Having arrived at the crease in the seventh over, Nair remained unbeaten on a magnificent 186 at the close of play on Day 1.
Nair appeared in complete control throughout his innings, seemingly aware of his every move. His two years playing for Northamptonshire in the County Championship have given him a deep understanding of how pitches behave in England, and he leveraged this experience to perfection, making the Lions' bowlers toil hard.
Sarfaraz Khan joined Nair at number four in the 18th over, and the duo forged a formidable 181-run partnership. Sarfaraz played in his characteristic style, stepping down the wicket, nudging deliveries from outside off to the leg side, and expertly guiding the ball past the slips. Unfortunately, he fell short of a century, caught behind for a well-played 92, bringing a fine innings to an end. Dhruv Jurel also chipped in with an unbeaten 82 to contribute to India A's big total. For England Lions, Josh Hull was the pick of the bowlers with 2/51 while Eddie Jack contributed with 1/51.
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