Karun Nair may have struggled to find form in the ongoing Test series against England, but he is expected to retain his place in India’s playing XI for the fourth Test in Manchester. So far, Nair has scored only 131 runs across three Tests, with an average slightly above 21. Despite the numbers, he has looked decent at the crease, raising hopes that a big innings may be around the corner.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra addressed Nair’s situation on his YouTube channel. He acknowledged that Nair hasn’t made the most of his chances but believes the batter deserves one more opportunity. “I’m still tempted to play him at No. 3 because he might not get a chance again,” said Chopra.
Gill and Management Show Faith in Nair
India skipper Shubman Gill also expressed confidence in Nair during a press interaction. “He is batting well. It’s just a matter of getting that one big knock. Once that happens, he will find his rhythm again,” said Gill. The team believes that a breakthrough innings could help Nair settle back into the international setup, especially after his strong domestic performances earlier this year.
India lost the third Test by 22 runs in a tense finish. Ravindra Jadeja‘s unbeaten 61 gave hope, but the tailenders couldn’t hold on. Going into the fourth Test, with injuries ruling out Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep, India are likely to include both Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the XI, similar to the combination used at Headingley.
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