London: Karun Nair stroked a magnificent century to put India A in control on Day 1 of the four-day unofficial Test against England Lions, in Canterbury, on Friday.
Karun boosted his chances of making a comeback to the India's Test playing XI for the upcoming five-match series in England with a superb innings on the opening day to guide India A to 243/3.
Karun, 33, brought up his hundred from 155 balls as he hit spinner Rehan Ahmed through the covers for two runs in the 60th over. Dropped on 89 off pacer Ajeet Singh Dale at first slip, the veteran right-hander displayed all his experience of playing for Northamptonshire in English county cricket as he steadied India after a couple of early wickets in the company of Sarfaraz Khan. He looked solid in the morning session before completing his fifty off 85 balls.
Sarfaraz, who was dropped from the Test squad, was unlucky to miss out on his century. He stroked a fluent 92 from 118 balls before he was caught down the leg side by wicketkeeper James Rew after missing the pull off pacer Josh Hull.
He put on 176 runs for the third wicket with Karun as the visitors dominated the second session.
But once he went past the fifty mark, the Mumbai right-hander played some superb strokes as he went past Karun to race into the 90s.
India suffered a double blow early in the contest when openers Abhimanyu Easwaran and Yashasvi Jaiswal perished early to be reduced to 51/2 in the 17th over.
Skipper Easwaran (8) was the first to depart, falling leg before to left-arm pacer Josh Hull.
However, Jaiswal (24 from 55 balls) will be hugely disappointed by his dismissal. (Agencies)
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