Curran’s delight at Test man of the match award

Surrey’s Sam Curran said he could not take in being named man of the match in just his second Test.

The 20-year-old rookie routed India’s top order, claiming three wickets in eight balls en route to first-innings figures of 4 for 74.

Then – after Virat Kohli’s brilliant 149 had hauled India back into the ascendancy – he rescued England’s second innings from catastrophe at 87 for 7 with a counter-attacking 63 off 65 balls, which included two sixes – the second of which, off Ishant Sharma, took him to his half-century.

“It’s all so special, it feels like I’m dreaming,” said Curran. “I’m sure I’ll sleep well tonight as I didn’t get any sleep last night.

“I tried to treat it as another game, but it is quite hard when the Barmy Army is chanting down there, and you’ve got world-class players on show.

“I’m just on my second game, trying to learn my way. But it’s awesome., I’m just taking it in.”

Curran admitted his heroics with the bat owed much to two all-time greats – Kohli on the one hand, and Kumar Sangakkara, his former Surrey team-mate turned pundit commentator, on the other.

“To be honest, I was trying to learn a bit from Virat in the first innings, when he batted with the tail,” Curran said. “But I chatted with Kumar in the hotel the other day and he also told me a few things about batting with the tail. A few came out of the middle and I was lucky enough to get a few runs.”

The 20-year-old, who will share the England dressing room with one of his closest friends, Ollie Pope in the Second Test said the chance to win a Test match for England was the ultimate fulfilment of his ambition.

“I have dreamt of this growing up,” he said. “Playing Test cricket, in front of these big crowds, with all these players I’ve seen growing up. Ben Stokes, Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad – I’m just trying to learn a bit every day.”