He returned to the pavilion unbeaten on 52, helping India score 204/6 on a rain-hit Day 1.
Karun Nair, who made a comeback after eight long years in the Indian Test team, starred with the bat in the ongoing fifth and final Test against England at the Oval. Making his way to the playing XI after getting dropped from the fourth Test, Nair scored a fifty on the first day of play in the fifth Test.
He returned to the pavilion unbeaten on 52, helping India score 204/6 on a rain-hit Day 1.
TBW
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BVB
–
AMR
–
TBC
–
ABF
–
GAW
–
SLK
–
TKR
–
NDT
–
ODW
–
NDS
–
EDR
–
WDL
–
PD
–
NDSW
–
EDRW
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
ROM
123/1
CZR
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
KHTC
43/3
VFB
–
KSV
–
SGFD
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
LAN
–
BB
–
DER
–
SURR
–
YOR
–
DURH
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WOR
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GLAM
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NOT
–
GLO
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PNG
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DEN
–
KWT
–
JER
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IRE-W
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ITA-W
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NED-W
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GER-W
–
BAN
–
IND
–
Match Called off
TBC
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TBC
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TBC
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TBC
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ALRS
–
TTS
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ARKS
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ATR
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KBTS
–
ALRS
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TTS
–
CAGS
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HBT
–
GBM
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SML
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MGD
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HBT
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MYW
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BNB
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GBM
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RNC
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YSG
60/2
MAT
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MUT
–
ROS
–
IAI
–
YSG
–
MUT
–
RNC
–
IAI
–
ROS
–
MAT
–
AUS
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SA
250/8
IPS
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GCT
–
TMB
–
NSBB
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SSC
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SGR
–
WYN
–
RLS
–
TMB
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VLLY
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SBB
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IPS
–
WSS
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UOQ
–
IPS
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TMB
–
BIP
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WEF
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NOS
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OVI
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LOS
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SOB
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BIP-W
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WFW-W
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NOS-W
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OIW-W
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LSW-W
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SBW-W
–
MR-A
134/9
AS-A
135/4
Adelaide Strikers Academy beat Melbourne Renegades Academy by 6 wickets
NTS
135/10
PSA
139/3
Perth Scorchers Academy beat Northern Territory Strike by 7 wickets
PS
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NEP
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CHK
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HHA
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ACOM
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MS-A
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BANA
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AS-A
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NOSK
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KASS
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LUF
–
GOLS
–
KARS
–
MEMA
–
GOLS
–
KASS
–
The right-hand batter failed to make an impact with the willow in the first three Test matches against England, and as a result, he was dropped from the fourth Test in Manchester. In the ongoing fifth Test match, the right-hand batter showed tremendous courage when his team needed him the most.
Former England player and Delhi Capitals batting coach Kevin Pietersen has lauded Nair, as they both worked together during the IPL 2025. Pietersen spoke about all the hard yards put in by Nair during the IPL 2025.
The 33-year-old batter spent an ample amount of time with the former player dissecting about batting in English conditions.
“So happy for Karun and how he’s stabilised India’s batting yesterday. He’s a tremendously hard worker on his game, and we spent many hours talking about batting in England during the IPL. I’m hoping he gets a wonderful 100 today!” Pietersen wrote on X.
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Nair was roped in by the Delhi Capitals for the IPL 2025, and later, the Delhi-based franchise also appointed Pietersen as their batting coach. That is when the duo started working together. After slogging for eight long years, Nair finally managed to make it to the Indian team but had a tough outing in the first three Test matches against England.
The Karnataka-based batter, who later shifted his base to Vidarbha, stood solid for the Indian team during the ongoing fifth Test match against England.
After the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, and Shubman Gill failed with their willows, it was Nair who gave stability to the Indian team. He remained not out alongside Washington Sundar, who is also batting on 19.
Apart from Nair, young Sai Sudharsan battled hard and scored 38 before getting out on Day 1. The Indian team will look to score big when they walk out to bat on the second day of the play against England at the Oval.
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