ENG vs IND, 5th Test: 5 Talking Points From India’s Outing on Day 1 of the Oval Decider

Day 1 of the Oval Test saw rain interruptions and a resilient performance from India, reaching 204/6. Karun Nair scored a fifty on his return, while Shubman Gill broke a record despite a runout.

Key Highlights of India's Day 1 Outing at The Oval

The opening day of the Oval Test between England and India was less eventful as the proceedings were marred by rain interruptions, especially in the first two sessions, in London on Thursday, July 31.

At the end of Day 1, Team India posted a total of 204/6 in 64 overs, with Karun Nair and Washington Sundar batting on 52 and 19, respectively, alongside a crucial unbeaten 51-run stand for the seventh wicket, which lifted the visitors from 153/6 in 49.3 overs. Nair and Sundar will look to build on their partnership and take India to a commanding position on Day 2 of the Oval decider.

On that note, let’s take a look at five key takeaways from India’s outing on Day 1 of the Oval Test:

1. Karun Nair marks his return to the XI with a fifty

After being dropped from the Manchester Test following his moderate outings in the first matches of the series at Headingley, Edgbaston, and Lord’s, Karun Nair made his return to the playing XI for the Oval decider. Nair did not have an ideal start to his Test comeback after 8 years, as his scores read - 0,20, 31, 26, 40, and 14, aggregating 131 runs at an average of 21.83 in the first six innings.

After being picked for the Oval Test, Karun Nair justified his selection as he registered his Test fifty in eight years he seizing a crucial opportunity which could decide his future in the Test set-up. Nair played a resilient, unbeaten innings of 52 off 98 balls to take Team India past 200–run mark at the end of Day 1.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal yet another poor outing

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s inconsistent run of form continues as he was dismissed for a two-ball duck by Gus Aktinson in the opening hour of the first session. In the last Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, Jaiswal played a steady knock of 58 off 107 balls in the first innings, but he failed to deliver in the second innings, as he was dismissed for a four-ball duck.

Jaiswal has been inconsistent with his performance in the ongoing Test series, as his scores read - 101, 4, 87, 28, 13, 0, 58, 0, and 0, aggregating 293 runs at an average of 32.56 in 9 innings, raising concerns over his temperament and shot selection in challenging conditions. Former India captain and batting legend turned commentator Sunil Gavaskar pointed out that Jaiswal’s struggle to play around the wicket is a key reason behind his lackluster performance.

3. Shubman Gill overtakes Sunil Gavaskar's Record

Team India skipper Shubman Gill did not have an ideal outing in the first innings, as he was dismissed for 21 in the form of a runout by Gus Aktinson. However, Gill entered into history books of records with yet another achievement in the ongoing Test series against England. The 25-year-old shattered Sunil Gavaskar’s Indian record for the most runs in a Test series by a captain (732 against West Indies in the 1978/79 series)

Shubman Gill is 32 runs away from surpassing yet another Sunil Gavaskar’s record for the most runs by an Indian batter in a Test series (774 against West Indies in 1971/72). Moreover, Gill is 68 runs short of shattering Australian batting legend Don Bradman’s record for the most runs in a Test series (810 against England in the 1936/37 Ashes). Currently, Shubman Gill has amassed 743 runs, including three centuries and a double century, at an average of 82.55 in nine innings.

4. Karun Nair and Washington Sundar's 'Spirit of Cricket'

Karun Nair and Washington Sundar’s Spirit of Cricket was on display on Day 1 of the Oval Decider. This came to light when Chris Woakes injured his shoulder while saving the ball from the boundary off Karun’s down-the-ground straight drive. As Woakes was running from mid-on to save the runs for England, Nair and Washington took three runs.

However, the duo decided not to go for the fourth run after they saw Woakes lying near the boundary by holding his injured shoulder, choosing empathy over undue advantage in a true gesture of sportsmanship that earned praise from fans on social media.

5. Shubman Gill loses toss for 5th time on the trot

Shubman Gill might have had a great Test series thus far as a captain, but the luck at the toss has been dismal. Gill lost the toss for the fifth time in a row in the series, England stand-in skipper Ollie Pope opted to bowl first under overcast conditions at the Oval. In the previous four Tests, India batted thrice first and bowled once.

Moreover, this marked India’s 15th consecutive loss across all formats of the game. India’s toss losing streak began in the third T20I of the five-match series against England in January this year. India, led by Rohit Sharma, lost all the tosses, including the semifinal and final at the Champions Trophy 2025 in February-March this year.