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When Sam Curran Frustrated Kohli And Co With Gritty Knock Lower Down The Order In 2018

Akshita Patel

Sam Curran once Test India's patience in 2018 [Source: Getty]Sam Curran once Test India's patience in 2018 [Source: Getty]

India’s struggle to wipe out tailenders in Test format isn’t new, as in 2018, Sam Curran showed resistance to deny the visitors an easy win in the Edgbaston Test. From 87/7, Curran guided England to 180/10, which completely shifted the momentum.

India and England locked horns in a closely fought first Test in the summer of 2018 at Edgbaston. With stars such as Virat Kohli, Joe Root, James Anderson, and R Ashwin on show, few were thinking that a 20-year-old all-rounder would be the showstopper.

England Stole Victory From India After Sam Curran’s 63-Run Knock 

The host team, in their second innings, were reeling at 87/7. India had their foot on England’s throat, and a chase of 200+ seemed unlikely. 

Then walked in Sam  Curran, batting at No. 8, with youthful fearlessness and sharp cricketing sense. What followed was a game-changing knock of 63 off 65 balls, full of daring strokes, drives, flicks, and counter-punches against some of the world’s best bowlers.

Interestingly, Curran didn’t just survive, he attacked. He put pressure back on India’s bowling unit, especially Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami. He added 48 with Adil Rashid and 63 with Stuart Broad, dragging England from the brink to a defendable total of 194.

England eventually won the match by 31 runs, and Curran was rightly named Player of the Match. His left-handed swing had already caused trouble to India in the first innings, but his own batting under pressure really turned the tables.

Fast forward to 2025, England continue to produce tough tailenders. In the third Test at Lord’s, pacer Brydon Carse pulled off a similar act like Curran, scoring 56 off 83 balls to lift his side from 271/7 to 387/10.