ENG vs IND 2025, 5th Test Day 1 Highlights: Karun Nair’s fighting fifty keeps India in the hunt as England reduce them to 204/6 at stumps.
Brief Scores: India 204/6 (Karun Nair 52*, Sai Sudharsan 38, Gus Atkinson 2/31) at stumps on Day 1.
After 20 days in the field during the five-match Test series between England and India, the home side is ahead by a 2-1 margin. However, India’s fabulous batting to draw the fourth fixture at Old Trafford in Manchester inspired them to walk off with a drawn series. However, there will be the physical and mental challenge of the last Test of the summer.
There was live grass on the surface at the Kennington Oval for the first time in the series. Under grey skies, the seamers will look to find the right line and length. Batting, however, will be a serious challenge, especially when there is rain around.
England captain, Ollie Pope, won the toss and opted to bowl first. Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the contest while the management rested Jofra Archer. Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, and Jamie Overton returned to the playing eleven. Shubman Gill lost the fifth toss of the series. They got Akash Deep and Prasidh Krishna into the side. Karun Nair was slotted at number five while Dhruv Jurel replaced injured Rishabh Pant.
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Let’s have a look at how the three sessions panned out on Day 1 of the fifth Test of the Eng vs Ind 2025 series at Kennington Oval
India dig in challenging period under overcast conditions for 72/2
Both teams would have been happy with the proceedings in the first session of the encounter. KL Rahul timed a leg-side delivery purely into the fence for a boundary. But Yashasvi Jaiswal missed a sharp nip-backer from Gus Atkinson and was given out on-field. It was a similar pattern for him to get out in this series.
Chris Woakes looked rusty in his first spell, but once the home side bowled a few dry overs, it helped them collect the wicket. Rahul looked to cut the hard-length delivery as it jagged back to get onto the stumps. Sai Sudharsan and Gill, however, put on a 34-run unbeaten stand in 47 balls to end the session when it started to rain cats and dogs. The visitors won’t mind their score of 72/2 in those circumstances.
India lose Shubman Gill in six-over second session to reach 85/3
In a half-hour second session, India got nothing but lost everything. Gill tapped the good length delivery from Atkinson under his eyes and called for the single. He reached nearly the halfway mark of the pitch and turned back. While turning back, he slipped, which was enough for the bowler to pick up the ball and hit the stumps.
To make it worse, 10 minutes later, the players went off the field due to rain as the tourists stretched their score to 85/3. Later, the umpires called for the Tea break.
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India lost three wickets before Karun Nair’s century to end with 204/6
Sudharsan looked good for his 38 runs in 108 balls, but he got a beautiful delivery. Josh Tongue, who had been ordinary with wayward bowling, found the right line. The wobble seam on the short length drove the southpaw on the front foot to get outside edge. Three overs later, Ravindra Jadeja got out in the same fashion.
Dhruv Jurel looked fluent with some of the shots, but he couldn’t survive either. After getting saved on a leg before the stumps, he played a poor cut shot into the slip region. India suddenly found themselves 153/6. Washington Sundar, after his century in Manchester, looked fluent in the middle.
England will be concerned with the potential shoulder dislocation of Chris Woakes. Karun Nair celebrated his first fifty in Tests since the triple-century in Chennai as India ended the day 204/6.
What to expect on Day 2
India will look to add as many as possible in their first innings. If they somehow can get to over 275 runs, it will give them a chance. The home side will be happy with anything under that mark. With bright sunshine expected on the second and third day, they can get a fine lead.
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Statistical Highlights from Kennington Oval in ENG vs IND 2025 Test, Day 1:
- England have now bowled the most deliveries (5750) in a Test series at home in the 21st century. The overtakes 5622 balls during the 2003 series against South Africa.
- Shubman Gill (743) breaks Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 732 runs to be the leading run-getter for India in a bilateral Test series as captain.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal got dismissed to right-arm pacers for the eighth time in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
- KL Rahul becomes the third India opener after Gavaskar and Murli Vijay to play 1000+ deliveries for India in an away Test series. Gavaskar did it twice against England in 1979 and Australia in 1977/78.
- India have now scored the most runs (3393) in a Test series, overtaking their previous record of 3270 runs against the West Indies in 1978/79.
Top Twitter/X Reactions from ENG vs IND 2025, The Oval, Day 1
He has waited very long to raise his bat in Tests and now he does it when his team badly needed someone to step up. Superb, Karun! 👏🏼
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) July 31, 2025
Immensely valuable knock in the context of the match and the series. #ENGvsIND
Brain fade moment. It happens and it should be accepted as part and parcel of the game
— Makarand Waingankar (@wmakarand) July 31, 2025
The theory of picking 8 batsmen and leaving out Kuldeep Yadav doesn't make sense in this Test. We need a win to make it 2-2. we need 20 wickets. All-rounder nahi genuine wicket-taker chahiye.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 30, 2025
Even the best can make sudden errors of judgement. Gill took just 6 strides and was run out by a long margin while returning. Another run-out that could change a game?
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 31, 2025
INDIA HAS GIFTED A WICKET TO ENGLAND IN TOUGH CONDITIONS 💔 pic.twitter.com/K3TweTiVGs
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 31, 2025
This has been an incredibly bizarre day of Test cricket.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) July 31, 2025
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