Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer has slammed batter Karun Nair for his disappointing form in the ongoing five-match Test series against England. Nair, returning to the Indian Test side after eight years, has failed to impress. So far, he has managed only 131 runs in three Tests, with a highest score of 40.
India trails 1-2 in the series. As the fourth Test at Old Trafford approaches on July 23, Nair’s place at No. 3 is under serious scrutiny.
“A Beautiful 30 is Not Enough”: Engineer
Engineer did not hold back in his assessment of Nair. He said No. 3 is a crucial spot, and the team expects consistent, big scores. “Karun Nair has been getting brilliant 20s and 30s. He’s (Nair) scored beautiful 30 runs, beautiful cover drives and all that. But a beautiful 30 is not expected from a No. 3. You’ve got to get a not-so-beautiful 100. You need runs on the board. You need (to score) bigger. The expectation should be much higher,” Engineer told The Times of India.
Engineer Wants Sai Sudharsan to Get a Chance
Engineer also backed young Sai Sudharsan for a spot in the playing XI. He said selection should depend on current form, not age or experience. “We should pick the best XI. I haven’t seen much of Sai Sudharsan. You’ve got to pick the best player for the time being. Who’s going to give you maximum? You are playing for your country. Your reputation is at stake. So, I would say, forget the age. If he’s good, play him to win this Test match,” he added.
India’s Assistant Coach Defends Karun Nair
Despite public criticism, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate backed Nair. He said the team is in good spirits and believes in the batter’s abilities. “That might be counter-intuitive when you’re 2-1 down in the series. But we feel like the guys have been excellent for large parts of the series. The repetition of losing lots of wickets in a very short space of time has obviously been the key feature of the two losses,” he said.
“Probably both times in Headingley and obviously overnight and first thing in the morning at Lord’s, we feel cost us the game was losing six wickets for 40 again. But if you look at it individually, if you look at the run tally of all the batters they’re all batting nicely,” Doeschate continued.
“Even someone like Karun, we feel his rhythm is good, his tempo is good. We want more runs from the three. But the message is mainly, let’s really focus on what we’ve done well and tidy up the little things that have cost us results, essentially,” he added.
Big Selection Call Ahead of 4th Test
With the series hanging in the balance, India faces a big decision. Should they stick with Nair or give someone like Sudharsan a shot?
Karun Nair, once a triple-centurion, is at a critical point in his career. The next match may decide both India’s series chances and Nair’s future in red-ball cricket.
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