ENG vs IND 2025: Karun Nair’s inconsistent return sparks debate over his place in Test squad. He averages mere 21.63 from three games so far.
When Karun Nair boarded the flight to England this summer, there was a hope riding along with him. This tour was supposed to be the turning point of a career that had started with glittering promise but veered off course far too soon. For Nair, now 33, the return to the longest format of the game after nearly eight years was a shot at redemption, a chance to finally reclaim the narrative that had once seemed destined for greatness.
Back in 2016, Nair had announced himself in the most dramatic fashion, scoring an unbeaten 303 against England in Chennai. It was only his third Test. Naturally, expectations soared, and a long career was predicted. But what followed was an inexplicable and prolonged absence from the Indian Test side. Even when he was named in the squad during the 2018 tour of England, he was overlooked in favour of Hanuma Vihari, who was flown in mid-series.
This series, then, was about writing a new chapter. He scored a double hundred for India A against the England Lions ahead of the Test series. It looked like he was in rhythm, ready to prove his critics wrong.
Read More: India’s no. 3 conundrum persists in Tests: What is the solution?
Modest performance across 3 matches
However, across six innings in the ongoing series against England, Nair has mustered only 131 runs, averaging 21.83. His best score is 40. No fifties, no match-defining contributions, not even one truly fluent knock that reminded viewers of his 2016 brilliance. He’s the only top-order batter from either side not to cross the 50-run mark so far.
Karun Nair in Tests vs England
His dismissals have also been worrying. In the third Test at Lord’s, he managed 40 in the first innings before edging Ben Stokes to the slips. In the second innings, he misjudged an incoming delivery from Brydon Carse and was trapped leg-before, not offering a shot. Earlier innings followed a similar pattern, some starts, some flashy strokes, but no conversions. His scores in this series read: 0, 20, 31, 26, 40, and 14.
What is going wrong for Nair?
There hasn’t been a single type of delivery that has undone him consistently, he’s fallen to in-swingers, out-swingers, short balls, and even gentle full tosses. Carse has dismissed him three times. Ben Stokes got him twice, and Chris Woakes once. The lack of a consistent dismissal mode might suggest he isn’t being outthought by a particular strategy. Instead, it indicates a broader uncertainty, technical or mental, something just isn’t clicking.
He’s not necessarily batting poorly. He looks composed at times, gets into decent positions, and doesn’t seem completely out of place. But Test cricket is cruel. It demands an end product, and his current returns just don’t justify continued backing when others are waiting for their turn.
Read More: ENG vs IND, 2025: What Karun Nair needs to focus on to make his comeback fruitful
Is it the end of Nair in Tests?
Especially with young talents like Sai Sudharsan and Abhimanyu Easwaran warming the benches. Sudharsan, a left-hander, had started the series at No 3. He was dismissed for a duck in the first innings but came back with a composed 30 in the second. The team management might feel he offers more long-term value in that spot, especially as they look to the future.
Sai Sudharsan’s first-class record:
He’s still finding his way at the red-ball level, but his technique and temperament have impressed those tracking his domestic rise. With the series still open and a break before the fourth Test in Manchester, selectors might want to give him another chance to cement his place.
Then there’s Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been a quiet constant in the Indian Test shadows. Touring often, playing warm-up games, putting in the hard yards for India A, but never quite breaking into the playing XI. He recently smashed 80 off just 92 balls for India A against England Lions at number 3, further strengthening his case.
Read More: Has Washington Sundar cemented his place in India XI after Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement?
Easwaran’s first-class record:
Unlike Sudharsan, Easwaran has been consistent across many seasons and pitches. His weight of runs has earned him the tag of ‘India’s next Test opener’ in waiting, and some might argue that this is the right moment to finally give him his due.
And yet, it’s hard not to feel for Nair. One triple century is no fluke. He clearly has the talent. But cricket, especially at the highest level, is a game of timing, both with the bat and in terms of opportunity. Nair’s return may have come too late, or maybe he wasn’t quite ready to seize it. Either way, time is no longer his ally.
If the selectors go with Sudharsan or Easwaran for the next Test, Nair might once again find himself out of the team, not necessarily because he failed spectacularly, but because he couldn’t succeed definitively. Test cricket rarely has the patience for indecision.
Read More: Zak Crawley’s slump continues unabated: Averages 24.54 in Tests since July 2024
