XtraTime Web Desk: Sam Curran savoured an “unreal” day as his four wicket haul helped England to secure a small first innings lead against India, despite Virat Kohli’s magnificent century.
“Coming on and taking a few early wickets, I can’t really remember it,” Curran said, after taking 4-74 in his second Test. “Personally, it was obviously a pretty special day for me with the ball.
“It’s obviously a pretty cool feeling for me standing in the field, and you’ve got the likes of my heroes – Jimmy and Broady and Stokesy and everyone, running into bowl, and Kohli – all these boys I’ve grown up watching, and I’ve been thrown in to play against them.”
“I felt like I was running in at The Oval for Surrey – I forgot about what I’m actually doing, and just stuck to what I’m good at,” he said. “In my first Test a couple of months ago against Pakistan, I was probably a little bit nervous.”
“You’ve just got to keep learning every day, and keep enjoying it.”
England ended the day 9-1 in their second innings, with Alastair Cook dismissed, and leading by only 22, after Kohli helped India add 105 to the last three wickets.
“I’m only in my second game, but I think it was a little eye-opener for watching the way he bats and how precise you’ve got to be with your lengths.”
England dropped several crucial catches in the field – most crucially Dawid Malan, who spilled Kohli in the slips on 21 and 51. It continued England’s long-running problems in the slips: since the start of 2015, England have dropped almost three out of every 10 slip chances; only two countries – India and Bangladesh – have dropped a higher percentage.
“No-one means to drop catches, and on another day they would be taken,” Curran said. “But you can’t dwell on those things too much – especially in a game like this, because there’s going to be another chance coming at you straightaway.”
Although Kohli made 149, before he was last man out in pursuit of quick runs, Curran said that England were content with how they had bowled to India’s captain.
The wicket of Cook leaves the Test tantalisingly poised ahead of the last three days.
“It’s maybe starting to turn a little bit more… as you saw Ashwin’s ball to Cooky there at the end did spin, a pretty good one that’s going to get most players out,” Curran said. “It’s just going to be getting as many runs as possible day three and day four, and put pressure on India – especially with the wicket starting to go up and down a little bit, and a bit of spin.”