ENG vs IND, 2025: What Karun Nair needs to focus on to make his comeback fruitful

ENG vs IND 2025: How Karun Nair can bounce back from Headingley misfire and rediscover form. Karun Nair scored only 20 runs from two innings so far.

On both occasions during the opening Headingley Test of the five-match series between England and India, Karun Nair dealt with two unlucky dismissals. The fielders, Ollie Pope at covers and Chris Woakes on his bowling, grabbed sensational catches to send the number six batter back in the hut. Nair’s dismissal wasn’t the only reason for India’s five-wicket defeat. But it was a part of the reasons behind the loss in the series opener. 

Comebacks in sports are not meant to be a fairytale. It’s the player’s responsibility to not repeat the same mistake he was dropped for. Apart from Nair’s highlighted unbeaten 303-run knock in 2016, the right-handed batter has struggled with just 91 Test runs in eight innings. His average drops to below 12 in this aspect, with the best score of 26. 

Karun Nair’s scratchy knocks at Leeds 
Due to the management putting Sai Sudharsan at number three, Nair got the chance in the middle order. It’s far better than warming the benches. 

Batting at number six is interesting. It offers the batters different chances to shine. If a team loses four wickets in the first 80 overs, then it’s about negotiating the second new ball. It’s about saving the lower order against the hard new cherry. KL Rahul batted at six on his red-ball debut against Australia before moving up the order. 

On the other hand, batting at number six provides an opportunity to set up a target in the second innings. If there is not much time left in the fixture, it’s up to the individual to fire a brutal knock. Meanwhile, Nair had both chances at Leeds, but unfortunately, he couldn’t earn success in both innings. 

By the time the 33-year-old walked into the middle in the first inning, the visitors were enjoying their dominance of 430/4. Rishabh Pant was smashing the big shots from the other end. But Nair seemed to be walking on the eggshells. On his second ball, he almost defended the ball onto the stumps. 

Two balls later, Ben Stokes dangled the carrot and invited the veteran with a half-volley. The plan was simple. The England captain wanted the batter to free his arms and get off the mark in red-ball cricket after such a long wait. The Jodhpur-born accepted the invitation. But a fine one-handed catch from Pope at short cover ended his stay on a duck. 

In the second innings, the situation was a little different. After Pant’s dismissal, the tourists required quick runs to challenge the home side. But the Vidarbha batter was in no mood to disclose his T20 skills. That was an acid test for the batter whether to play for the team or be part of an individual innings. 

He reverse-swept Shoaib Bashir past third man before taking another three overs to score his second boundary of the knock. After KL Rahul went back to the dressing room, the responsibility was so much on Nair’s shoulders. But he perished nine balls later. 

The former Karnataka batter leaned forward to drive Woakes past mid-off. However, the ball went straight back to the bowler, who grabbed a fine return catch to dismiss the right-handed batter on 20 off 54 balls. Now, going to Edgbaston, will Nair get another opportunity? 

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Karun Nair needs to carry clear mindset and focus on technical changes 
It was just three weeks ago when he celebrated an elegant knock of 204 against England Lions in Canterbury. He followed it with another decent knock of 40 runs in Northampton. But he couldn’t repeat them at Leeds. The difference was his mindset. 

During the two unofficial Tests, he was crystal clear with his mindset and the shots he wanted to play. The thought process should be around contributing to the national side. In the second innings, he had the chance to play an aggressive knock for the sake of the side. But he denied. 

Going back to the drawing board, it will be important for the Rajasthan-born to use his opportunity. At 33, he is also fighting against age. The board gave him the chance he desired. Now it’s up to the batter to use it properly. 

The situation would have been completely different if he had added 40 or 50 runs at number six in the first inning. India could have notched up 500 runs on the board. But they missed the chance. 

Technical adaptation is also very important for a batter while playing Tests in England. Nair needs to have a discussion regarding this with the coaches. To earn success in these conditions, a batter needs to leave the balls at the start and avoid rash shots. As Rahul did, it’s vital to play the shot late, mostly in the square regions, allowing the ball to swing. 

Several players are waiting in the squad, including Dhruv Jurel, while the selectors neglected Sarfaraz Khan. It won’t be long before the selectors start to shift their attention towards a youngster. Karun Nair most probably will get another chance at Edgbaston. That could turn out to be his last if he doesn’t tick all the boxes. 

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