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'Karun Nair not a No.3': Gambhir asked to consider Sudharsan as coach ‘not afraid to chop and change depending on vibe’
Gautam Gambhir has been asked to consider Sai Sudharsan at No.3 for the Lord's Test, considering Karun Nair's dwindling returns.
Shubman Gill-led India might have won the Edgbaston Test by a thumping 336 runs. However, the question surrounding Karun Nair remains. The right-handed batter, who has returned to the Test playing XI after eight years, has failed to set the stage on fire in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, and it remains to be seen whether he'll persist for the Lord's match. Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar reckons Sai Sudharsan should be given a chance as Karun Nair is “not a No.3” in his book.
Sai Sudharsan had played the series opener, where he recorded scores of 0 and 30. However, he was dropped for the next game at Edgbaston, and Karun Nair batted at his place in No.3. In the Headingley Test, Karun had batted at No.6. However, he moved up the order once Sai Sudharsan was left out.
The 33-year-old Nair has recorded scores of 0, 20, 31 and 26 in four innings against England. Manjrekar reckons it was not far to drop Sudharsan just after one Test. He also said that the current team management, headed by Gautam Gambhir, is open to chopping and changing depending on the vibe.
“There were some very interesting selections made in the last game, which I didn’t agree with. In the end, a win can put a cover on those decisions. I thought Sai Sudharsan, after just one match, to be left out considering he is a young player that we are looking at the future," Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.
"He played pretty okay in the second innings. I’d like to stick with him, but this team management is not afraid to chop and change depending on the vibe,” he added.
'I'd play Sai Sudharsan'
Manjrekar said that Sai Sudharsan is better suited to play at No.3 than Karun Nair. The former India batter also stated that India cannot afford to get complacent, considering that India captain Shubman Gill has scored the bulk of the runs.
“But I would like to see Sai Sudharsan at number three. Karun Nair is not a number-three player in my book. It is unfair to drop him after one Test if everyone is getting big hundreds. I think Sai deserves that opportunity as well," said Manjrekar.
Gill has been in smashing form in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He scored 147 in the first innings of the series opener and then followed it up with scores of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston.
“I’d like to see India being pragmatic and realistic about how good the team is. They’ve still got to be careful about their batting. Shubman Gill got these big hundreds and made sure that India could win the Test match. I’m just imagining him getting 103 and 104, and it would have been tough to win the Test," Manjrekar said.
"He has taken care of a lot of those issues. India need to make sure that the batting is in place. Perhaps a changed England attack will have more sharpness and potency,” he added.
