IND vs ENG: Karun Nair Under Pressure as India Weigh Batting Changes for Fourth Test

Karun Nair’s place in India’s Test XI is under serious scrutiny ahead of the fourth match in the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy. With India trailing 1–2 in the five-match series, pressure is mounting on the top order—especially Nair, who has struggled to convert his starts into big scores.

In six innings so far, Nair has managed just 131 runs at an average of 21.83. His highest score is 40, which came in the first innings of the third Test at Lord’s. Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer was critical of Nair’s output, especially for someone batting at No. 3.

“Karun Nair has been getting brilliant 20s and 30s. He’s 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. The expectation should be much higher,” Engineer told TimesofIndia.com.

Sudharsan vs Nair vs Pant: Selection Dilemma Grows

The team had dropped promising youngster Sai Sudharsan after the first Test. Although he made a duck in the first innings at Headingley, he looked composed in the second, scoring 30. India opted for a deeper bowling line-up in the second Test by picking all-rounders Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, leaving Sudharsan out.

Engineer believes selection should be based purely on performance.

“We should pick the best XI. I haven’t seen much of Sai Sudharsan. But you’ve got to pick the best player for the time being. Forget the age. If he’s good, play him to win this Test match,” he added.

The return of Rishabh Pant as a specialist batter could further complicate matters. Dhruv Jurel is expected to retain wicketkeeping duties, while assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate hinted at possible tweaks to the batting order.

“His rhythm and tempo have been good. But we need more from our top three,” ten Doeschate said.

Must-Balance Batting Stability with Bowling Depth

India’s failure to chase 193 at Lord’s has increased pressure on the batting unit, making the fourth Test in Manchester a must-win to stay alive in the series. The team is also dealing with injury concerns and workload issues in the bowling department, which may influence whether they continue with the same bowling combination from Lord’s.

A lot will depend on how the management balances top-order stability with bowling strength. The fourth Test could well be Karun Nair’s final chance to cement his place in this evolving Indian Test side.