IND Vs ENG Highlights, 5th Test Day 1: Karun Nair's 50 Takes India To 204/6 At Stumps

Hello and welcome to everyone joining us for the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The opening day will provide answers to many questions, not the least pressing of which are India's playing XI and pitch behaviour. Stay with us as we keep you posted with all that and more, apart from live updates.

The first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 3:30pm IST, with the toss at 3pm, weather permitting. The fifth India vs England Test will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app and website in India. It will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network TV channels in the country.

The weather in London will remain mostly cloudy today, with occasional rain and a thunderstorm predicted in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to hover between 14°C and 24°C and the humidity levels around 88%. Check out the hourly weather forecast for day 1 of the fifth Test.

On this day in 2023, Stuart Broad hung up his Test boots in the best way imaginable. The England swing-bowling legend snared Alex Carey as the last Australian wicket to fall and sprinted off in celebration. Just like today's game, it was the fifth and final Test of the series (albeit the Ashes), and the venue was also The Oval. Relive the moment below:

The Dukes ball has been a bone of contention all through the first four India vs England Tests, with both teams dissatisfied with its shape and softness at various stages. But ahead of the start of the fifth and final game at The Oval, the tourists seem to have taken the official route, reportedly complaining to the ICC match referee regarding the ball-change protocol as well as purported "preferential treatment". The instance cited is from the third Test at Lord's, according to an Indian Express report.

Earlier, England captain Ben Stokes ruled himself out of the series-deciding fifth Test, citing a significant muscle tear in his right shoulder that he described as “too big a risk” to aggravate further. The inspirational all-rounder, who has been England’s standout performer in the series, admitted the decision was difficult but necessary.

“It’s one of those weighing up the risk-reward, and the risk was way too high for damaging this any further than it currently is,” Stokes said at the pre-match press conference. “I didn’t want to... and I wouldn’t expect to put any one of my players at risk with an injury like this.”

As expected, the weather is gloomy at The Oval currently. A little bit of rain around, and the covers have come on as a precautionary measure. We don't know yet whether the toss will be delayed. Watch this space...

The light drizzle means the toss is indeed delayed, though it might be a short one as the covers have quickly been removed. Standby for further updates...

And we have the toss after a six-minute delay. England's stand-in captain Ollie Pope wins the toss and elects to bowl first. This means Shubman Gill has lost all five Tests in the series, and India have lost their 15th straight toss across formats!

India make four changes to the side that played in Manchester. Dhruv Jurel comes in for the injured Rishabh Pant, Karun Nair is back to replace Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna is in for the rested Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep returns in place of Anshul Kamboj.

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj

England had already named their playing XI on the eve of the Test. Here it is, again for reference:

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue

The covers were on for a brief period, but the drizzle abates and we have the first ball coming up on time at 3:30pm IST. Yashasvi Jaiswal is facing up to Chris Woakes, with KL Rahul on the non-striker's end.

And Woakes is on target straight away, making Jaiswal defend around his off stump. He follows it up with one that climbs a bit, before straying in line. Two singles off the first over.

IND: 2/0 (1 over)

India have a dreadful start to their first innings. Gus Atkinson's probing delivery finds Yashasvi Jaiswal's pad but there are two sounds. Ollie Pope opts for DRS and is proven right as the sound was from the front pad onto the back one. It's a plumb one and Jaiswal has to walk back in the fourth over.

IND: 10/1 (4)

The left-right combination continues for India as Sai Sudharsan joins KL Rahul in the middle. With the new ball doing a fair bit, the southpaw, in particular, is being extra careful. This storm needs to be weathered for India to have any chance of a good first-innings total.

IND: 30/1 (9)

IND 36/1 (13)

Drinks are on the ground. A watchful start from India. They have lost Yashasvi Jaiswal but KL Rahul and Sai Sudharsan have managed to ensure no further damage is done. Some really challenging conditions for batting. The pitch has grass and the clouds are hovering over the Oval.

Bowled! KL Rahul has to walk back as he tries to cut this Chris Woakes ball which is too close to his body and ends up playing on to his wickets. He was looking so solid but now has to go back. 14 for Rahul and that brings Shubman Gill, the India captain, to the crease.

IND 52/2 (19)

India get over 50 with a wonderful shot from Shubman Gill. A lot depends on this partnership between the Indian captain and Sai Sudharsan, the duo which has worked wonders for Gujarat Titans in IPL for the last two seasons.

Sai Sudharsan is looking really solid so far. 25 off 67 currently for the left-hander. Shubman Gill is giving him good company at 11. India need a good stable partnership at this moment and the duo in the middle is definitely capable of it.

The clouds were always hovering over the Oval but all of a sudden the rain just comes with full force. The players are rushing back. It will also be Lunch on Day 1.

IND 72/2 (23) at Lunch

The start of the second session has been delayed. But the good news is that the covers are off the pitch and rain too seems to have gone away. We will have an inspection soon. Let us see what comes out of it.

Meanwhile, another record has fallen as Shubman Gill continues to scale new peaks. He has now scored the most runs by an Indian captain in a Test series, surpassing none other than the great Sunil Gavaskar.

So we have an update. 7:30pm IST is what we are seeing on air as the restart time. But this is provided the rain does not intervene again.

Okay then. The rain returns and on the back of the droplets also come in the covers. Frustration continues.

IND 82-2 (26)

We are back with the game. The rain seems to have gone and we are underway with the delayed second session.

Shubman Gill is run out for 21. A poor call from the captain and he pays for it with his wicket. Gill defended the ball right in front of him and wanted a quick single that was never there. Gus Atkinson got the ball and hit the stumps to find Gill way short. Shocking way to get out.

IND 83/3 (27.2)

Rain is back after sending Indian captain Shubman Gill to the pavillion. Players are back in their dressing rooms. Sai Sudharsan has now found Karun Nair as his partner but let us see when will these two resume their partnership.

IND 85/3 (29)

Second session has ended early due to rain. Umpires are out on the field inspecting the conditions. Let us see how early can the game begin now that the rain is gone.

We are underway now. Karun Nair is giving company to Sai Sudharsan. Gus Atkinson with the ball.

IND 100/3 (35)

An edge and the ball flies through the slip cordon to give India a 100. Sai Sudharsan with some lucky runs but India would not mind any of it. He has moved up to 37 now.

An unplayable ball from Josh Tongue and Sai Sudharsan is out caught behind. Sudharsan's resillience comes to an end with this unplayable ball into the stumps that straightened off the pitch and took the edge of Sudharsan who was looking really solid till now. The left hander walks back for 38.

IND 102/4 (36)

Another unplayable delivery from Josh Tongue. Same thing once again. Angling into the stumps but seaming just a little away after pitching and Ravindra Jadeja can only edge the ball to the wicket-keeper. Only 9 runs from Jadeja today. Dhruv Jurel comes to bat now.

IND 123/5 (40)

Karun Nair and Dhruv Jurel have managed to build a partnership after India concede five wickets early. The duo has looked good in the middle and also survived a few close chances. India need a big partnership from here.

IND - 134/5 (45)

150 up for India. Dhruv Jurel and Sai Sudharsan going good right now in the middle. India need these two to go big now. A good partnership brewing.

Dhruv Jurel is gone! He is given out lbw off Atkinson but he reviews and the decision is overturned. But the very next ball, he gives a catch in the slips. 19 for Jurel and Atkinson takes his second wicket.

Karun Nair is batting well and keeping India afloat. He is batting on 32 and has ensured his end remains tight. Washington Sundar is the new man in. Fresh of a match-saving unbeaten ton, can Sundar once again stand out with bat?

Big jolt to England. Chris Woakes seems to have a problem with his shoulder. It is not looking good and the English pacer is walking off the field. Unlikely that he will come back today.

Half-century after eight years of wait for Karun Nair. He takes 89 balls on this treacherous pitch. A very solid innings and he finally repays the faith posed by the team management in him. Important innings for India and for Nair's career as well.

Washington Sundar plays out a maiden off Jacob Bethell and that will be the day. India have reached 204/6 in 64 overs in what was a day where an entire session was washed out due to rain. A good day for India on the most difficult pitch of the series so far.

It was a compelling day of Test cricket. A green top was dished out at the Oval where England won the toss and put India to bat first. The tough pitch made it hard for batters to score big but Karun Nair found a way as he remains unbeaten on 52 at the end of the day even as India lost six wickets for 204. Shubman Gill was looking good but got run out while Sai Sudharsan too was dismissed after getting set. Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue picked up two wickets each for England.

IND 204/6 (64)

Day 1: Stumps

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