Karun makes assertion with 186 not out, Sarfaraz misses ton in India A’s 409/3

Karun Nair of India A performs a shot in the course of the 4 day match between England Lions and India A at The Spitfire Floor on Might 30, 2025 in Canterbury, England
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Karun Nair was class personified whereas serving a well timed reminder to the Gautam Gambhir-led group administration with a cultured unbeaten 186 as India A cruised to 409 for 3 towards a below-par England Lions on the opening day of the primary ‘Unofficial’ Take a look at right here on Friday (Might 30, 2025).

Whereas Nair is understood to bat both at No. 4 or beneath in first-class cricket, he checked out ease throughout his unbeaten 246-ball knock which made the Lions bowlers, together with their Take a look at star Rehan Ahmed, look fully pedestrian.

India A batters made the very best use of unfastened deliveries however the high quality of Lions bowling assault and nature of the observe may not be an applicable reflection of what will be anticipated in Take a look at matches.

The Bengaluru man, who now performs for Vidarbha, used his intensive expertise of enjoying for English County Northamptonshire throughout his twenty fourth first-class ton.

His innings had 24 fours and one six nevertheless it could not have come at a extra opportune time as Gambhir frets over his batting mixture for the opening Take a look at towards England at Leeds, beginning June 20.

Sarfaraz Khan (92 off 119 balls) blended a little bit of muscle and loads of cheekiness however missed out on a three-figure mark after doing all of the exhausting work.

The duo added 181 runs for the third wicket stand after which Dhruv Jurel (82 batting, 104 balls) made merry throughout one other 177-run stand for the unbroken fourth wicket alliance.

Name it irony, similar to Nair had pipped Sarfaraz as the additional batter within the Take a look at squad, he additionally overshadowed the Mumbai man on a flat deck the place the Lions assault did not have sufficient enamel to hassle a few of the senior India stars. Conceding 51 boundaries and three sixes in 90 overs does not make for a terrific studying.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (24 off 55 balls) performed out the primary hour however did not make the most of the beginning whereas Abhimanyu Easwaran (8), who ought to think about himself massively fortunate to have gotten one other shot at Take a look at group, confirmed why he is not minimize out for the massive league.

The Canterbury County floor pitch had a greenish tinge however there was hardly any lateral motion on provide. Nair had further time to play his photographs and was extreme on all bowlers with loads of photographs sq. of the wicket.

Rehan, the England Take a look at leg-spinner, was extraordinarily abnormal as he was clobbered for 95 runs in 16 overs. Sarfaraz, in truth, hit him inside out for a boundary to finish his fifty and in addition hit him straight for a most, and towards pacers, he used the bounce to play the ramp shot over slips for helpful runs.

Nair was extreme on something that was pitched quick and regarded regal each time he rocked again to play the pull shot. When off-spinner Dan Mousley bowled, he repeatedly performed the reverse sweep with minimal effort.

The duo farmed the strike with out a lot ado and when Sarfaraz lazily chased a large supply from Hull down the leg-side, even Lions bowlers did not anticipate a wicket.

However the pleasure was short-lived as there was no taking the foot from the pedal from both Nair or Jurel, who continued to point out disdain for house group bowlers.

Temporary scores: India A: 409/3 in 90 overs (Karun Nair 186 batting; Sarfaraz Khan 92, Dhruv Jurel 82 batting; Josh Hull 2/51).