India batsman Karun Nair reflected on his brush with death this year after scoring a brilliant triple century against England in the fifth Test on Monday.
The 25-year-old was among the hundred-plus passengers on a boat which capsized in his home state of Kerala in July, killing six people.
“I didn’t know how to swim. People there rescued me and I was just lucky enough to live again,” Nair said after scoring 303 not out at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Fortune played a crucial part in his marathon 381-ball knock against England in only his third test.
Nair was dropped on 34 by Alastair Cook at slip and by Joe Root on 217, and he survived a stumping opportunity off Moeen Ali.
Nair just carried on, however, compiling his maiden Test century before lunch and converting it into a double before counter-attacking in the final session to become the second Indian, after Virender Sehwag, to make a Test triple century.
“After the first hundred, pressure was off. The first hundred is always important and I think when I got the first hundred, I was just playing my shots after that,” he said.
India posted their highest ever Test total of 759-7 before declaring, a decision which was delayed to allow Nair complete his triple century.
“The message was to just go after the bowling. We had a set over in mind (for the declaration). When I got closer to 300, they pushed it back. I’d like to thank the team management for giving me the extra time.”
Apart from displaying an impeccable temperament, Nair also exhibited his prowess at sweeping, both conventional and reverse, against England’s three-pronged spin attack.
“Sweep comes naturally to me, I’ve worked on it a lot, it’s my go-to shot and it just came off today,” he said.
Nair’s scintillating triple century and India declaring left England the uphill task of surviving on a fifth day wicket in Chennai.
The tourists ended the day on 12 without loss, with skipper Alastair Cook (three) and Keaton Jennings (nine) at the crease.
“We are 3-0 up (in the five-match series), so I think they are, you know, already out of the game,” Nair said.
“It (pitch) is slowly deteriorating. And there are footmarks there so I think we just have to bowl well and get the wickets. Good bowling does get you wickets on any surface,” said Nair.
Nair, 25, became only the third batsman to covert a maiden Test hundred into a triple century, joining the elite company of West Indies’ Garry Sobers (365 not out) and Australia’s Bob Simpson (311).
England have three sessions to survive and secure a draw.
“It’s never easy when it happens, you got to give credit to the Indian team and their batters. They played extremely well. We just weren’t in the game today,” said England coach Trevor Bayliss.
*Agencies
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