Karun Nair has reignited discussions about his place in India’s Test squad with a commanding double century for India A against the England Lions in Canterbury. On Day 2 of the first unofficial Test, Nair reached the milestone in 272 balls, anchoring India A to a formidable total of 463/5. His innings, featuring 26 fours and a six, was a testament to his patience and class, especially after the early dismissals of openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran.
This performance comes at a pivotal time, as India prepares for a five-Test series in England starting June 20. With the retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, there’s a reshuffling in the batting order. Nair’s experience and proven track record, including a triple-century against England in 2016, position him as a strong contender for the vacant No. 3 spot. His recent domestic form further bolsters his case, having scored 863 runs at an average of 53 in the Ranji Trophy and topping the Vijay Hazare Trophy charts with five centuries in eight innings.
However, the selection dilemma intensifies with other in-form players like Sarfaraz Khan, who contributed a solid 92 in the same match, also vying for a spot. Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticized the team management for overlooking consistent performers like Sarfaraz, suggesting a preference for pre-empting performances over current form.
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In 2022, he tweeted, ‘Dear cricket, give me one more chance’, and since then, he hasn’t looked back and scored plenty of runs for Vidarbha. Despite so, a call to the national team wasn’t in the cards. The 33-year-old was expected to travel with the squad for the Australia series, but the selectors didn’t back him. However, after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from the longest format, the selectors wanted to add more experience in the middle order and hence, called up Karun.
With Karun Nair’s impressive performance batting at No. 3 in this match, he has strengthened his case to be the first-choice for that crucial spot. However, the real dilemma for team management arises in deciding whether he should take over the No. 3 position or replace the No. 4 slot, a position long held by Virat Kohli. This situation presents a challenging decision for Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill as they finalize the batting order.
As the team management, led by Gautam Gambhir, deliberates on the final squad, Nair’s timely resurgence offers both an opportunity and a challenge. His combination of experience, current form, and proven adaptability to English conditions makes a compelling case for his inclusion in the Test XI.
