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Karun Nair gets a lifeline, unlikely to be dropped from India's XI in Manchester: ‘Play him another match at No. 3'
Karun Nair is running out of time, and he will hope to feature in the fourth Test and finally get a big knock.
Karun Nair's comeback is not going according to plan, and the five-match Test series has been a huge reality check for the batter. In three Tests, he has managed only 131 runs at an average of just above 21. Although he has shown what he is capable of, but he has failed to capitalise on his strong starts.
Speaking on his YouTube, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra urged Gautam Gambhir and his management team to give Nair one more chance, as calls to drop him from fans have increased.
Also Read: ‘What crime has Karun Nair committed?’ Harbhajan hits out at critics, demands same backing as Gill, KL Rahul
‘Playing him another match at No. 3’
“There will be a question at No. 3 as to whether Karun Nair should be given one more chance. Karun Nair hasn't looked completely out of sorts. However, he hasn't scored enough runs for you to say his selection is certain. I am still tempted to play him another match at No. 3 because he might not get a chance again,” he said.
Also Read: India vs England 4th Test Day 1
Meanwhile, even India skipper Shubman Gill has backed Nair. Ahead of the fourth Test, he said, “Yes, we have had conversations with him, but we think he is batting well. We think Karun is betting well. The first match he didn't really play at this number. It's difficult when a player is making a comeback in a series like this. But I don't think there's been any issue with batting. He's been batting well. Sometimes it's also about getting that click. Once you're able to make your fifty, then you're able to get back into your zone and uh get some big runs. Unfortunately, that hasn't happened for him so far, but, we are hopeful that he will be able to turn around.”
India lost the third Test by 22 runs, in what turned out to be a thrilling end on Day 5. Ravindra Jadeja (61*) formed gritty partnerships with tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, but at the end pressure got to both pacers as they lost their wickets.
In the fourth Test, India are expected to play both Sai Sudharsan and Nair in the playing XI, similar to their Headingley combination, as Nitish Kumar Reddy and Akash Deep are injured.
