Karun Nair's Comeback Shines Bright with Gritty Fifty in Tricky Conditions

Karun Nair proved the world wrong as he returned to the Indian Test side in style with an unbeaten fifty on Day 1 of the 5th Test at England. His innings arrived when the team badly needed someone to rise to the occasion. With rain interrupting the flow of play and wickets falling at frequent intervals India were in a spot of bother at 204 for 6 at stumps. Nair and Washington Sundar who was not out on 19 off 45 balls helped steady the innings and gain some vital runs to the scoreboard.

Nair, who was left out of the fourth Test at Manchester, was back in the playing eleven in place of Shardul Thakur. It could have turned out to be his last opportunity to shine after failing to make an impact in the first half of the series. Many thought another failure could have marked the end of his Test career. But his dogged performance in a tight situation infused a new lease of life into his cricketing career. On a day when the top-order batsmen could not capitalize on their beginnings it was Nair who held his ground and took the innings forward with composure and concentration.

Former Indian player Dinesh Karthik appreciated the effort by terming it as a high-class innings played in immensely difficult conditions. In Karthik's opinion Nair's half-century acted as a testimony that his career is back on tracks in right earnest. He pointed out that if Nair hadn't played in this game the selectors and management may have begun looking elsewhere. But now with this game Nair has placed himself back in the fray and reminded everyone of the potential that once made him one of the brightest batters of Indian cricket.

Former fast bowler Varun Aaron too opined on Nair's match. He opined that the conditions were challenging and the pitch was providing significant assistance to the bowlers but Nair stood firm with good technique and temperament. Aaron especially liked Nair's soft-handed play to balls outside the off stump which saw him survive and then get scoring chances. He thought Nair seized what could have been his last chance and made it a statement show.

Nair's unscathed half-century was as much about timing and context as it was about runs. Playing in such challenging conditions and against an impressive bowling attack his performance was of huge worth. He achieved the milestone in the last half-hour of the day's cricket by driving a couple of left-arm spinner Jacob Bethell. His knock comprised seven gorgeous boundaries with a highlight cover drive from Josh Tongue in the 38th over, which demonstrated his class and poise.

We should bear in mind that Karun Nair played no Test for eight years prior to his comeback at Leeds during the series. In spite of a few attempts in earlier matches he had not been able to turn them into large totals which put further pressure on him going into the final Test. Critics were quick to raise questions about his inclusion in the team but the team management chose to give him one last chance and their trust was vindicated in the form of a mature and responsible innings. Nair appeared resolute from the start and did not allow the pressure of the situation get the better of him.

The weather at the Oval was in no way conducive to batting. The pitch was behaving a lot and the overcast sky made it even more difficult for the batsmen. But Nair remained calm and composed, something that is a rarity for someone under so much pressure. He did not throw caution to the wind in pursuit of the bowling but rather played every ball on merit concentrating on spinning the strike and punishing the loose balls. His stand with Washington Sundar brought much-needed stability to the innings and made sure that India ended the day with a good total on the board.

For a player who had once hit a triple century in Test cricket Nair's career has not been without its shares of ups and downs. After that legendary 303 not out in 2016 his position in the team was never quite cemented and he was out of the team more frequently than not. His comeback this time was under immense expectations and pressure and he knew that this might be a make-or-break situation in his career. And he made it count with a performance not merely about individual redemption but also about rescuing the team in a desperate situation.

The selectors the fans and the team administration will certainly take cognizance of this effort. It was not a showy innings but one that reflected character determination and the capability to deliver when the team needed it the most. The manner in which Nair adjusted to the conditions and played as per the circumstance says a lot about his maturity as a batsman. It also provides him more opportunities to play for India as the country looks to create a powerful middle order to tackle upcoming challenges.

This knock has placed Karun Nair in the limelight again. It has shown that he has still got a lot to give and with such performances consistently he can become a part of the Indian Test side again. His grit and determination on Day 1 at the Oval could be the start of a new chapter in his cricketing saga.