SAM OLD STORY
Curran rescues England AGAIN as top-order struggles against the moving ball continue
SAM CURRAN may be the least experienced player in England’s dressing room, but he saved his team-mate’s blushes on day one in Southampton.
At 20, he is the youngest by six years, has played by far the fewest Test and first-class matches and has not scored a century in any form of senior cricket.
Yet none of that made the blindest bit of difference as he showed his more accomplished colleagues how to bat in tricky Test match conditions with 78.
“I just tried to play my natural game,” said Curran, who brought up his second Test 50 in the same way as his first – with a six.
“I just try to play how I do for Surrey, with no fear and being nice and positive.
“I was unlucky to miss out last week, but I love being around the squad and that is international sport. You try and do your best, it is not about proving a point – just playing freely.
“I’m not going to change the way I play, that is just who I am and I want to contribute for the team with bat and ball consistently just like Stokesy does.
“The top order got some good balls out there and the ball swung around all day, which surprised us a bit, but to get to 250 is a massive positive.”
And he is right. From 36-4 and 86-6, Curran along with fellow returning all-rounder Moeen Ali, who made 40, began the rescue act and he carried it on with Stuart
Broad to take
England to 246 all out.
He is also right about the bowling that did for the top order. India, spearheaded by Jasprit
Bumrah, were outstanding, but the fact remains that no matter the conditions, the opposition or the venue, England’s batsmen can find a way to fail.
Left out at Trent Bridge due to the return of Ben Stokes and the greater experience of Chris Woakes, Curran responded to that disappointment in the perfect way.
He is having such an impact on every game he plays for England, there might not be any real justification for leaving him out for anyone.
With a cricketing father and two brothers at county sides, he has lived and breathed the game all his life, but that does not automatically allow you to thrive at Test level – just ask Keaton Jennings.
Coached by his wicket-keeper dad Ray, there have been opportunities at every turn for Jennings too, but his second attempt to make a career as a Test opener is going even worse than his first.