India vs England: Sam Curran happy to wait for his turn after another special knock

Young all-rounder Sam Curran saved embarrassment for England with a rearguard 78 after being left out of the third Test against India despite a crucial fifty that helped the hosts pull off a narrow win in the opener at Edgbaston. (4TH TEST DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS)

The 20-year-old all-rounder is playing in his fourth Test but has rapidly grown in this series, especially with England batsmen all at sea against India’s pace attack. (DAY 1 REPORT)

He was controversially left out when Ben Stokes returned at Trent Bridge, where India won by 203 runs. “I was disappointed, but at the same time took it as a positive,” he told reporters after lifting England from 86/6 to 246, with crucial partnerships with Moeen Ali and Stuart Broad late in the innings.

Curran, son of the late Kevin, former Zimbabwe all-rounder, pointed out that Chris Woakes could not have been dropped in Nottingham after scoring a century in the second Test at Lord’s.

“You can’t really leave someone out someone who’s got a hundred ... it’s just a great squad at the minute, and everyone is fighting for their place. It’s international sport, you try to do the best you can for your side.”

Curran, like he did in his 67 in the first Test, again played positively and only he forced India’s bowlers on the defensive to an extent. “I wasn’t proving a point at all – I was just playing the way I do, naturally and freely and with no fear.

“I was unlucky obviously last week to miss out. But I love being around the squad. There are some great names in the team, and I’m learning so much.

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He said the conditions were tough for England batsmen in the morning. The top score among the top six was Stokes’ 23.

“It was pretty tough – it swung massively throughout the day. Even when I was in, probably in my 30s, it was still swinging around consistently when the ball was 65 overs old. That surprised us a little bit – how much it swung, and how much it did off the wicket.

“There were some very good balls in there, to a lot of the top order … they got some very good ones. But we worry (only) about the end result. We managed to get 246 – which from 86/6 looks a decent score now, with how much the wicket has done and how much it has swung.

His mentor, former England batsman Allan Lamb, has said Curran can bat up the order. He smiled: “I would like to play like Stokes does, but first for Surrey and then country. I want to put up a big performances when the team needs and contribute to its success.”

Would he like to take the new ball? “No, not really… Jimmy (Anderson) and Broad are class at what they do, so I think I’m going to have to wait my turn for a couple of years.”