Uncertainty looms large on Karun Nair's position in India's playing XI for the upcoming fourth Test against England. Meanwhile, young batter Sai Sudharsan is strongly tipped to take his place for the fourth Test which is slated to start from July 23 in Manchester. The big change at the no.3 batting position is likely to be the only change in India's playing eleven for this crucial encounter, which India needs to win to keep their hopes of winning the series alive. Even former India's cricketer Deep Dasgupta has also advocated for this change.
Nair's performance in the current series hasn't been promising. Across six innings, Nair has amassed just 131 runs at an average 21.83 with his highest score being 40 runs. In the first three matches, his individual scores were 0, 20, 31, 26, 40, and 14, achieved at a strike rate of 52.61. With the promising 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan waiting for an opportunity, it appears that time might be running out for Nair to secure his place in the playing eleven for the fourth India vs England Test match scheduled to begin next week in Manchester.
Despite returning to the Test side after an eight-year hiatus, Karun Nair has failed to capitalize on his opportunities. Across his six innings on the current tour, he has frequently made starts but has been unable to convert them into substantial scores. While batting at number three, Nair has displayed flashes of good form, particularly with his driving, but he has shown vulnerability against deliveries that rise sharply off the pitch. His dismissal in the second innings at Lord's, where he shouldered arms to a ball from Brydon Carse that came back in, has further amplified doubts about his decision-making and confidence at the crease.
With India trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, the team management is carefully considering their options with a week remaining before the crucial penultimate Test. It appears that the 33-year-old Nair may be the only player to be replaced in the eleven that played at Lord's, with the 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan anticipated to make a return. Sudharsan was previously omitted after his debut to accommodate an extra batting option lower down the order, despite performing reasonably well in his first match. As India now faces a must-win situation to level the series, the management seems inclined to invest in younger talent. This potential inclusion of Sudharsan has also garnered support from former India wicketkeeper and current commentator Deep Dasgupta.
“In the Playing XI, you don’t want more than one change. If there is only one, it would be replacing Karun Nair with Sai Sudharsan. Because Karun Nair hasn’t made any runs. He’s got starts, but hasn’t converted them into big scores. I also believe he doesn’t look that comfortable at the crease either,” Dasgupta told Star Sports.
“Sai Sudharsan is a young player. If you want to invest in this England series, you’d rather invest in a younger player. Karun Nair has got starts in both Test matches, but he hasn’t looked that convincing. So if you’re looking to build ahead, you might as well invest in someone like Sai Sudharsan. Because after this, I don’t know when you’ll come back to a series in England,” he added.