Ex-wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta opines India can consider having B Sai Sudharsan in place of Karun Nair for the last two Test matches of the current series against England, opining that the latter has not quite nailed the number three position.
Nair, who has returned to the Test squad after an eight-year hiatus, has scored only 131 runs in three matches and is the sole top-four batsman from either team not to have reached a half-century in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.
Sudharsan, on the other hand, scored nil and 30 on his Test debut at Leeds and has not played since as India introduced batting all-rounder Washington Sundar in the matches at Edgbaston and Lord's.
“In the Playing XI, you don't want more than one change. If there is only one, it would be replacing Karun Nair with Sai Sudharsan. Because Karun Nair hasn't made any runs. He's got starts, but hasn't converted them into big scores. I also believe he doesn't look that comfortable at the crease either.
“And secondly, Sai Sudharsan is a young player. If you want to invest in this England series, you'd rather invest in a younger player. Karun Nair has got starts in both Test matches, but he hasn't looked that convincing.
“So if you're looking to build ahead, you might as well invest in someone like Sai Sudharsan. Because after this, I don't know when you'll come back to a series in England. So when you have two Tests left, invest in Sai Sudharsan,” said Dasgupta on JioHotstar.
Having fallen 1-2 behind in the five-match series, the Shubman Gill-led team will look to regain their footing in the fourth Test beginning on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester, prior to the fifth and final test of the series at The Oval in London from July 31 to August 4.
