Before the 4th Test, captain Shubman Gill had said Karun Nair would be backed at No. 3. But when the team sheet came out in Manchester, Karun was out. And back came B Sai Sudharsan.
Even more frustrating Sai, who replaced Karun, got out for a golden duck in the second innings. The No. 3 problem instead of being solved, just got bigger.
Karun vs Sai: The Numbers
Karun Nair played 3 Tests, scored 131 runs. Average: 21.83. Got starts but didn’t convert.
Sai Sudharsan started the series. Scored 0 & 30 in his first match. Dropped. Returned in the 4th Test. Scored a fifty in the first innings, then a golden duck in the second. It’s a case of musical chairs at No. 3 but no one’s taking charge.
India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak admitted the call to drop Karun was made by coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Gill.
He said:
“Sometimes, the team feels pressure could build on a player. So we made a change. But it doesn’t mean we don’t back Karun.”
That’s fair but fans still feel let down. If the team truly backed Karun, why not give him one more game?
Sai’s fifty in the first innings gave hope. But the second-innings duck brought the conversation right back.
The way this situation was handled has only added more pressure. On the players. On the team. And on the leadership.
India’s No. 3 spot has become a revolving door. Sai. Then Karun. Then Sai again. Nobody has made it count. And instead of finding a solution, India now has a new problem handling player confidence.
The public support for Karun followed by a sudden drop has raised eyebrows. It makes the team management look unsure.
In a must-win Test, India made a bold call. But bold doesn’t always mean right. Karun was dropped. Sai couldn’t deliver in both innings. The team is still struggling to fix that crucial No. 3 spot.
One thing is clear: India’s top order isn’t settled and that’s showing in the scorecards.
