Karun Nair converts maiden ton into a triple

Chennai: Putting his extraordinary talent on display, Karun Nair scored the highest individual score of the five-match series between India and England, helping the hosts in posting their highest ever total in Test Cricket history 759/7 in first innings of the fifth and final match of the series here at MA Chidambaram stadium on Monday.

On Day 4, India was put on the driving seat by Karun Nair who scored a monumental 303 runs off 381 balls with 32 fours and 4 sixes which swelled the Indian lead to 282 runs. From here, India could well win the match on the last day despite slowness of the pitch.

At stumps, tired England openers Alastair Cook (3*) and Keaton Jennings (9*) somehow restricted Indian bowlers from claiming any wickets and posted 12 runs in the five overs bowled on Monday.

It was sheer brilliance of Nair coupled with near double-ton of another youngster KL Rahul (199) which saw India to a gigantic total.

Also Read: KL Rahul 9th batsman to get out on 199

After the departure of Murli Vijay (29 off 76), Ravichandran Ashwin (67 off 149) arrived and added 181 runs with Nair for the sixth wicket.

Since the lead swelled past 200 runs, Nair and his other partner Ravindra Jadeja (51 off 55 with 1 four and 2 sixes) accelerated the scoring rate and helped in quickly enhancing the lead to 282 runs.

Start Broad was the pick of the bowlers as he picked 2 wickets while Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes, Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson got one wicket each.

During his phenomenal innings, Nair broke several records which also include the highest individual score for an Indian batsman while coming in to bat at No 5. Also it is the first case in the history that maiden century of a batsman is a triple century. He is also only the second Indian batsman to score a triple century after Virender Sehwag, who achieved the feat twice.

India will now look to wrap up the England batting on the final day of the Chennai Test, while they already have won the five-match series 3-0.