All-rounder Sam Curran rescued England after their latest top-order collapse by scoring a career-high 78 to push the team to a potentially competitive 246 all out on Day 1 of the fourth Test against India on Thursday.
The Indians reached stumps on 19-0 after getting through the final four overs of the day unscathed, but will rue not taking fuller control of a match they need to win to level the five-match series at 2-2.
England was 86-6 at one stage at Southampton, but Curran and Moeen Ali (40) put on 81 runs for the seventh wicket to lead a recovery. Curran, a 20-year-old rising star of the English team, swept a six to bring up the second half-century in his three-Test career and was the last man out. Paceman Jasprit Bumrah was the best of India’s bowlers, finishing with figures of 3-46 off 20 overs.
(With inputs from AP)
