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The India versus England Test series is now in its business end with three games done and two left to be played. And already, prior to entering the next contest, the visitors are under pressure. Another game lost in the imminent future, which means the 4th Test, could further plunge India under a mountain of pressure. The Shubman Gill-led side has just lost the Lord's game after going down earlier at Headingley. And a prime reason for that was the dearth of runs from up the order, fundamentally speaking, from its top three. Because for a team to score lots of runs, it is usually the role of its established top order names to do so and in India's case that hasn't been quite the case where the most recent contest or even the game before it stands.
Surely, a Yashasvi Jaiwal not firing in one Test match is more than acceptable; the attacking batter has already struck a glorious hundred and made contributions as the young and developing cricketer. But the key question that India must answer putting all its focus into it is to choose between Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan. On the one hand is a noted batter in first-class level and one who scored a glorious Test triple even as the innings upon his comeback have seen a dry patch thus far. And on the other hand, is a rising and confident name, who would like to grab his chance. Let us attempt to look at 3 reasons why India should play Sai Sudharsan over Karun Nair in the 4th Test versus England.
Here are three Reasons why India should play Sai Sudharsan over Karun Nair in 4th Test vs England
The series is on the line, well almost!
What India recently faced at Lord's wasn't just a Test defeat; rather the ignominy of coming so close to chasing down a below-par Test score and yet being exposed where it came to its noted batters.
Resultantly, the series now stands at 2-1 with the advantage down to the hosts, which clearly means that come the fourth game of the series, it will be England who will walk into the path with a spring of confidence in its feat.
India, on the other hand, will have to call for some desperate measures if that's the right term.
What is clear is the very fact that the batting line-up that goes out to face the menace of Ben Stokes, who's just returned to form, the already well-set Jofra Archer and Carse, who's been among the wickets, has to be an infallible-looking unit.
Nothing else will do.
At this time, however, Karun Nair, despite having the experience of 119 first-class and 107 List-A games, doesn't inspire much confidence, does he? This is one of the 3 reasons why India should play Sai Sudharsan over Karun Nair in the 4th Test versus England.
The inability to convert starts into big scores
There's little doubt about the overall capabillity of Karun Nair, born in Rajasthan, raised in Karnataka and respected in different parts of the country for his regard for-and-talent in the game.
He's got starts in England that's something one cannot doubt or misunderstand. At Lord's, most recently, he scored his highest individual knock of the series in the form of the 40.
On the whole, he made 54 runs in the game. And maybe that is the deficit that India needs to overcome. The sheer volume of runs that are expected but aren't coming from its number 3 batter.
Karun Nair needs to stand up to the challenge of scoring runs in a territory where he's batted and is batting for the first time in an Indian shirt.
But then how many further chances can he be given where despite 6 current appearances, he's not managed to go beyond a half-century mark.
This inability to convert meaningful starts- and make no mistake, he's tried to begin well- into big scores that India so urgently need could be one among the 3 reasons why India should play Sai Sudharsan over Karun Nair in 4th Test versus England.
Sai Sudharsan presents promise of the youth
He might be 23 and an absolute newcomer to the side but Test cricket needs more than anything, a sense of dynamism where talents can adjust to the ever-changing demands and needs of the game.
While his opening Test in an India shirt may not have fetched anything to inspire much confidence, there comes a time in a Test series where one has to value between the number of chances afforded to a cricketer (in the hope that he would drive home useful runs) and a rising name to whom tomorrow belongs.
But then no preparation for a stronger tomorrow can begin with paucity of chances afforded in the present, and the latter is the case for Sai Sudharsan, who was dropped after just two innings at the start of the series.
The left-hander is a technically sound player and would like to express himself going forward to strive for India's cause, something that Karun Nair despite having more playing experience, hasn't been able to achieve.This could be one of the 3 reasons why India should play Sai Sudharsan over Karun Nair in the 4th Test versus England.
FAQs
What have been Karun Nair's recent scores in England?
40 and 14 at Lord's before which the right-hander scored 31 and 26 at Edgbaston.
What could lead to India making a change in the 4th Test?
While he's got starts, Karun Nair hasn't been able to convert them into a big score, which could give his team the much-needed confidence.
