Aakash Chopra on Karun Nair’s Future After India vs England 4th Test Snub

In an outrageous development just ahead of the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy before preparation to play at Manchester, India’s team management has decided to drop Karun Nair from the playing XI, even though captain Shubman Gill had publicly backed the veteran batter in the pre-match press conference.

This has caused some eyebrows to be raised, especially after the emotional confidence given by the captain. Former India opener Aakash Chopra had a straight-bladed take—this could mark a dead-end in Karun Nair’s comeback journey.

What Shubman Gill Said Before the Test

Before the Manchester Test, Shubman Gill spoke highly of Nair during a press conference. He said the team trusted Nair and believed he would perform well, even though he had a slow start to the series.

But when the toss happened, it was confirmed that Karun Nair was dropped and Sai Sudharsan was brought back into the team after missing the last two Tests.

Nair’s stats lay out missed chances

Karun Nair didn’t quite play to a high standard this series, especially with the expectation on a top-order batter in Test cricket. Nair’s six innings, gave us scores of 0, 20, 31, 26, 40 and a 14, or a total of 131 runs without a half-century.

By contrast, when Nair was replaced in Manchester, Sai Sudharsan scored a 61 on his return innings, then immediately made his claim to the long-term.

Chopra: “This Might Be It for Karun Nair”

Reacting to the surprise exclusion, Aakash Chopra didn’t mince words.

“Sai Sudharsan came in for Karun Nair. Just a day earlier, Gill spoke fondly of him… then he gets dropped. I think this is it.”

Chopra added that Nair’s window of opportunity may now be closed given the intense competition and other consistent performers waiting for their chance.

The Contest: Easwaran, Sarfaraz, and Iyer Waiting

With Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, and Shreyas Iyer already on the radar for selection, Karun Nair’s chances for redemption seem to have just gotten more challenging.

“He had a good opportunity but didn’t capitalise,” Chopra said. “His career says, ‘never say never,’ but it’s not going to be simple from here.”

Chopra believes that the team may be focusing ahead rather than back, especially given that they have had younger batters performing well in domestic cricket and India A tours.

Sai Sudharsan Shines on His Comeback

One of the standout moments from the Manchester Test so far is Sai Sudharsan’s calm and confident 61 runs on Day 1. India ended the day well at 264/4, and Sudharsan’s return to the team seems like a smart long-term move that’s already bearing fruit.

His good form could push Karun Nair further down the list, especially since consistency is crucial in India’s crowded batting lineup.