Former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer has expressed his disappointment with Karun Nair's performances in the ongoing Test series against England. Nair, who made a comeback to the Indian team after a seven-year absence, has failed to convert his starts into substantial scores, leading to criticism from Engineer.
Nair has played in all three Tests of the series so far, batting at No. 6 in the first Test and No. 3 in the subsequent two matches. While he has shown glimpses of his potential, he has not been able to register a significant score, with his highest being 40. In six innings, Nair has averaged under 22, a cause of concern for the Indian team management.
Engineer, in a conversation with the Times of India, said that Nair has been getting "brilliant 20s and 30s" and playing "beautiful cover drives". However, he emphasized that a No. 3 batsman is expected to score big hundreds, not just attractive cameos. "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 stated.
Nair's inability to convert his starts has put pressure on the Indian batting lineup, and the team is currently trailing 1-2 in the five-match series. Engineer believes that India needs to pick the best XI to win the series and that the team management should not consider age as a factor. He also feels that the No. 3 position is crucial and that Nair has not capitalized on the opportunities he has been given. Since 2020, India has tried 11 different players in that position.
Engineer has suggested that the team management should consider bringing back Sai Sudharsan for the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Sudharsan, a left-handed batsman, played in the first Test but was dropped for the subsequent matches. Engineer believes that Sudharsan could be a valuable addition to the team, given his left-handedness and potential to score runs.
However, Engineer and Dilip Vengsarkar have stated that they haven't seen much of Sai Sudharsan in Test format and want India's No.3 to put runs on the board. Engineer said that the team needs to think about who will give the maximum. "You're 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," Engineer said.
While Nair has shown the ability to take the shine off the new ball and has looked comfortable at the crease, his lack of aggression and high dot ball percentage have been areas of concern. According to Cricviz data, Nair's false-short percentage is 20.9, the fourth-lowest for any top-order batter in the series. However, 43.9% of his shots have been defensive, and his dot ball percentage is 73.8, the third-highest among top-order batters in the series.
As the Indian team heads to Manchester for the fourth Test, the team management has a tough decision to make regarding the No. 3 position. Whether they stick with Nair or bring in Sudharsan remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: India needs a solid performance from their No. 3 batsman to stay alive in the series.
