London: India lost their captain Shubman Gill due to a suicidal run out as intermittent rain allowed only six overs in the afternoon session on day one of the series-deciding fifth Test against England in London Thursday.
When rain returned to The Oval to halt the proceedings, India were 85 for three with Sai Sudharsan (28 batting off 84) and Karun Nair (0 off 8) in the middle.
A sudden downpour shortly before lunch caused the second session to start at 3 pm local time. Gill (21 off 35) played a copybook cover drive off Jamie Overton to get going after the break.
Having done all the hard work, Gill went for a needless single off Gus Atkinson, who picked up the ball on the follow-through and darted it into the stumps, leaving the Indian captain way out of his crease.
Soon after, the rain returned, resulting in the umpire taking the tea break at 4.10 pm local time.
In the morning session, India lost their openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (2 off 9) and K L Rahul (14 off 40) on a green top but did well to reach lunch 72 for two.
On the greenest pitch of the series, the ball expectedly did seam around but it was not swinging profusely.
Playing his first game of the series, Atkinson struck in his second over by having Jaiswal trapped in front. The on-field umpire did not give it out but England reviewed successfully with the incoming ball going on to hit the stumps.
The other pacers Josh Tongue and Jamie Overton struggled for control. Tongue conceded 12 runs in his opening over including 10 via two wides on either side of the stumps.
India reached 36 for one in the first hour of play.
Rahul, who has been India’s most solid batter over the course of the series, was the second wicket to fall. The short ball from Chris Woakes did not do much but Rahul went for the cut when it was too close to his body, eventually playing on to his stumps.
Number three Sai Sudharsan and Gill then batted till lunch, which was taken early due to a sudden downpour at The Oval, where the sun played hide and seek.
Sai collected two fours down the ground off Tongue and Woakes respectively.
India’s leading run getter Gill punched Overton through the cover before using the short arm pull off the pacer for boundaries on either side of the wicket.
India made four changes to their playing eleven, bringing in a fit-again Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Karun Nair and Dhruv Jurel for Jasprit Bumrah, Anshul Kamboj, Shardul Thakur and the injured Rishabh Pant.
England too made four changes but they had announced it Wednesday with injured captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer unavailable for selection.
PTI
