Nair triple treat flattens England
From Madhu Jawali Chennai, Dec 20, 2016, DHNS
Records fall by wayside as India push for another win against bruised visitors on final day
If KL Rahul can’t, Karun Nair will. After his State-mate missed out on a double-century by just one run on Sunday, Nair brought up his first international hundred and a triple one to boot at that, as India buried England under an avalanche of runs.
After disappointing scores of 4 and 13 in his first two innings at Mohali and Mumbai, Nair made sure he didn’t suffer the same fate in what most probably was going to be his last chance in a long time to come to prove his class and credentials at this leval. Prove he did and how!
The right-hander slammed his way to an unbeaten 303 (566m, 381b, 32x4, 4x6) -- the third highest individual score in a Test by an Indian after Virender Sehwag’s 309 (against Pakistan) and 319 (against South Africa) -- as the hosts declared their first innings closed at a mammoth 759 for seven — their highest Test total — in 190.4 overs, at the MA Chidambaram stadium on Monday.
Needing to score 282 to make India bat again, England were 12 without loss in five overs at close of fourth day’s play. While the pitch didn’t appear to have changed much in its nature, it will be a big challenge for a bruised England to avoid a 4-0 drubbing.
While Nair batted through the day, all his partners made telling contributions. Batting with a bruised left shoulder, M Vijay (29) was the only batsman not to make hay as he became Liam Dawson’s first wicket in Test cricket.
Ravichandran Ashwin (67, 149b, 6x4, 1x6) then played another significant role with the bat, sharing a 181-run association for the sixth wicket with the right mix of caution and attack. England’s situation was exacerbated by the fact that they had used both their top-up reviews (after the first 80 overs) unsuccessfully and had to operate through the day without any requests left.
Ravindra Jadeja rubbed salt into their wounds with a typically aggressive half-century (51, 55b, 1x4, 2x6) that set the tempo for India’s declaration. Together, Jadeja and Nair shred the attack into pieces, raising 138 runs in a matter of 115 balls that would have broken England’s spirits.
But no one on the day hurt England as much as Nair did. He teased and tormented the visitors en route to becoming India’s only second triple centurion – an epic that will be remembered as much for its struggle and style as for its significance and substance. The Karnataka batsman betrayed few signs of a classic he was going to essay when he began on Sunday or when he resumed on the morning of Monday. He edged while fending and dropping shoulders to short balls and nicked some while steering some past the slip. Sometimes edges slipped through the fingers and at other times they fell short.
His judgment of lengths wasn’t always precise but there was no panic; part of his bat was broken by a Ben Stokes’ delivery but his resolve didn’t. It was more a workmanlike innings as opposed to a polished one from Rahul; it was more a fighting stay than a flowing one until he moved into 150s. He was also reprieved twice after reaching his 200.
The innings did have plenty of its moments though. The punches carried the usual poise and power and the numerous sweeps were essayed with familiar authority. He cut, drove and pulled at will as England’s eight bowlers failed to find a way past his defence.
The most heartening aspect of his innings though was his fitness. Nair is no stranger to long innings (he has a first-class 300 in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu in Mumbai) but the conditions here were more exacting. Not only did he spend nearly 10 hours in the middle batting but he had also fielded for 10 and half hours during England’s innings which meant of the total 24 hours of play so far in this match, he has been on the field for 20 and half of them!
After disappointing scores of 4 and 13 in his first two innings at Mohali and Mumbai, Nair made sure he didn’t suffer the same fate in what most probably was going to be his last chance in a long time to come to prove his class and credentials at this leval. Prove he did and how!
The right-hander slammed his way to an unbeaten 303 (566m, 381b, 32x4, 4x6) -- the third highest individual score in a Test by an Indian after Virender Sehwag’s 309 (against Pakistan) and 319 (against South Africa) -- as the hosts declared their first innings closed at a mammoth 759 for seven — their highest Test total — in 190.4 overs, at the MA Chidambaram stadium on Monday.
Needing to score 282 to make India bat again, England were 12 without loss in five overs at close of fourth day’s play. While the pitch didn’t appear to have changed much in its nature, it will be a big challenge for a bruised England to avoid a 4-0 drubbing.
While Nair batted through the day, all his partners made telling contributions. Batting with a bruised left shoulder, M Vijay (29) was the only batsman not to make hay as he became Liam Dawson’s first wicket in Test cricket.
Ravichandran Ashwin (67, 149b, 6x4, 1x6) then played another significant role with the bat, sharing a 181-run association for the sixth wicket with the right mix of caution and attack. England’s situation was exacerbated by the fact that they had used both their top-up reviews (after the first 80 overs) unsuccessfully and had to operate through the day without any requests left.
Ravindra Jadeja rubbed salt into their wounds with a typically aggressive half-century (51, 55b, 1x4, 2x6) that set the tempo for India’s declaration. Together, Jadeja and Nair shred the attack into pieces, raising 138 runs in a matter of 115 balls that would have broken England’s spirits.
But no one on the day hurt England as much as Nair did. He teased and tormented the visitors en route to becoming India’s only second triple centurion – an epic that will be remembered as much for its struggle and style as for its significance and substance. The Karnataka batsman betrayed few signs of a classic he was going to essay when he began on Sunday or when he resumed on the morning of Monday. He edged while fending and dropping shoulders to short balls and nicked some while steering some past the slip. Sometimes edges slipped through the fingers and at other times they fell short.
His judgment of lengths wasn’t always precise but there was no panic; part of his bat was broken by a Ben Stokes’ delivery but his resolve didn’t. It was more a workmanlike innings as opposed to a polished one from Rahul; it was more a fighting stay than a flowing one until he moved into 150s. He was also reprieved twice after reaching his 200.
The innings did have plenty of its moments though. The punches carried the usual poise and power and the numerous sweeps were essayed with familiar authority. He cut, drove and pulled at will as England’s eight bowlers failed to find a way past his defence.
The most heartening aspect of his innings though was his fitness. Nair is no stranger to long innings (he has a first-class 300 in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu in Mumbai) but the conditions here were more exacting. Not only did he spend nearly 10 hours in the middle batting but he had also fielded for 10 and half hours during England’s innings which meant of the total 24 hours of play so far in this match, he has been on the field for 20 and half of them!
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