Last chance for Karun Nair? India must choose between faith and change

Dubai: For Karun Nair, Test cricket has always been a bit of a paradox. A rare triple-centurion for India, yet cast aside after just six matches, the 33-year-old finally earned a comeback after eight long years — only to find himself under scrutiny once again.

That return, fuelled by sheer weight of runs in the domestic circuit — nine centuries this season — coincided with Virat Kohli’s retirement and a reshuffled middle-order. But so far, Nair’s performances in the ongoing five-Test series against England haven’t lived up to expectations: scores of 0, 20, 31, 26, 40 and 14 have left India with more questions than answers.

A double century in the warm-up game against the England Lions had raised hopes of a redemption arc. But since then, the right-hander hasn’t crossed 50 in eight innings, and his position in the XI now appears precarious ahead of the fourth Test in Manchester.

The tipping point may have come at Lord’s, where his dismissal — leaving a straight ball with India 40 for 1 — sparked a collapse that ultimately led to a 22-run defeat.

Lapse in concentration

Former India coach Ravi Shastri didn’t hold back in his assessment. “That was a huge lapse in concentration from Karun Nair,” Shastri said on The ICC Review. “To leave a straight, nothing ball and open the door for England — I thought the timing of that dismissal turned things around.”

Shastri, however, reserved his sharpest praise for England captain Ben Stokes, whose brilliant run-out of Rishabh Pant just before lunch in the first innings also proved pivotal. “Ben Stokes — simply outstanding presence of mind to hit at the right end. India would have had the lead and been in the driver’s seat,” Shastri said.

But Nair’s role in the second innings reversal has placed the spotlight firmly on India’s team selection for the next Test. Should India persist with experience, or look to the future?

Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta is in no doubt: “If there is only one change, it should be replacing Karun Nair with Sai Sudharsan. Karun has got starts, but hasn’t looked convincing. Sai is a young player, and if you want to invest in this series — or for the future — this is the moment.”

An investment for the future

Dasgupta makes a broader point about timing. “After this, I don’t know when you’ll come back to a series in England. With two Tests left, invest in Sai Sudharsan.”

The 22-year-old left-hander, who debuted at Leeds, hasn’t had much of a chance since. His scores of 0 and 30 may not scream for immediate inclusion, but the call for generational investment is gaining traction.

That said, India must resist the temptation of a knee-jerk reaction. One could argue that Nair has had just two Tests in his preferred position at No 3 — he batted at No. 6 in the first match. Perhaps the solution is to revert Nair to the lower middle-order and bring Sai back at No 3.

To add balance, India could then pick either Nitish Kumar Reddy or Washington Sundar based on the pitch and stick with five frontline bowlers — an approach that has worked in the past.

A glorious chapter from the past

History shows that persistence often pays. Marvan Atapattu, for example, began his Sri Lanka career with five ducks in his first six innings, but repaid the faith to become one of their greats. Nair may not be cut from the same cloth, but he too has shown resilience and pedigree when backed.

Yes, the clock may be ticking. But if the management believes in its “trust-the-process” mantra, Karun Nair deserves one last shot — not as a favour, but as a belief in the value of backing players who’ve earned their way back.

Because if cricket is about redemption stories, Nair still has a few chapters left to write.