What ended in heartbreak for KL Rahul could end in glory for Karun Nair. The 25-year-old had watched from the other end as his Karnataka teammate played a loose shot on 199 to gift his wicket away. Whether that affected him was anybody’s guess but Karun Nair can make amends: At the end of the second session on Day 4 in the fifth Test in Chennai, he had guided his way to a magnificent unbeaten 195, five runs away from a double century in only his third Test.
And in the process, India batted England well and truly out of the match. They took the lead just after lunch and by tea, the lead was three figures. The big question for captain Virat Kohli is: When is the declaration coming? The Chennai surface is arguably the easiest batting surface in this series so far but there have been indications that the pitch could be breaking up. That, coupled with Ravichandran Ashwin (in his home ground) and Ravindra Jadeja would still be a substantial challenge for England to overcome, no matter the surface.
Kohli will have to take the big call in deciding how much time he thinks he will need to bowl England out. But not now. Right now, the dressing room will celebrate Karun Nair’s glorious knock. Because it has well and truly knocked England out of this match.
Brief scores:
India 582/5 (KL Rahul 199, Karun Nair 195 not out; Stuart Broad 1/55, Ben Stokes 1/63) lead England 477 by 105 runs