Former captain Michael Vaughan has stated that Karun Nair might be dropped from the playing XI if Team India lose the third Test against England at Lord's. The right-handed batter, ever since making a comeback into the national side after eight years, has only mustered a couple of decent starts in the ongoing five-match series.
Karun Nair was promoted to No.3 after the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, but is yet to make a dominant score. He has looked secure, and set to play a meaningful note, but has lost his wicket at the wrong juncture. The batter was troubled by Brydon Carse's short-pitched deliveries earlier in the series, and had to face a scathing spell by Jofra Archer in the Lord's Test as well.
In the second innings after India were set a target of 193, Nair walked in to bat after Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed in the second over. The right-handed batter paired up with KL Rahul at the other end to play out the remaining overs in the final session of Day 4.
However, in the 13th over, Nair surprisingly opted to shoulder his arms against an incoming delivery by Brydon Carse. The impact did not come into play as there was no shot offered, as the umpire instantly raised his finger. Choosing not to contest the plumb LBW call, he walked off to the pavilion after scoring 14 runs off 33 deliveries.
Michael Vaughan suggested that Karun Nair might get another chance despite his failures if Team India wins the Lord's Test.
"If India win, I think he (Nair) will be fine. If India lose, I think his time will be up. That's just the nature. If England lose tomorrow, there will be so many questions about two or three of the England players. I think for Karun Nair, he needs Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Jadeja to hold their nerve and get India over the line. If they lose, that leave will be analysed a lot more than we are analysing it now," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.He termed Karun Nair's leave that led to his dismissal in the second innings as a 'brain fade', before opening up on Akash Deep's antics close to Stumps.
"Karun Nair leaves a straight one, it must be (a brain fade). To think that he has left that delivery, which just cracked open the game. Akash Deep is the first ever player that has been hit on the inside of the thigh and needed tape. I've never seen a batter need tape," Vaughan added.Former India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik implied that Akash Deep might not have been ready in the dressing room for the unexpected nightwatchman role that he had to undertake after Karun Nair and Shubman Gill were dismissed in quick succession, before Stumps on Day 4.
"I feel, Akash Deep was not ready. He was just probably chilling thinking ice bath time and then wickets fall, and then Rishabh Pant must be like, 'I think it's better if you go'. He was not ready, because as he was walking in, he was wearing his arm guard, he had his gloves in his hands, it was messy, sloppy, to say the least. He actualy did the job he was sent out for, which was to make sure he protected Rishabh Pant from batting," Dinesh Karthik said.England skipper Ben Stokes castled Akash Deep with a brilliant delivery to conclude the day's play, and reduce India to 58-4 in the run chase. This was the second time that the Indian pacer was sent ahead in the batting order. He played at No.5 in the first innings of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series Boxing Day Test after his heroics at the Gabba to avoid the follow-on.
"England are going to give India on Day 5, 40 hours of hell" - Michael Vaughan predicts the winner of ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test
Michael Vaughan named Rishabh Pant as key for Team India in the remainder of the run chase, while Dinesh Karthik feels KL Rahul will have a massive role to play.
"I will say, if Rishabh Pant gets over 30, India will win the Test. England are going to give India on Day 5, 40 hours of hell," Vaughan said. "For me, KL Rahul holds the absolute key, because, India have four proper batters. Indian bowlers have been brilliant, at times I have to say they bowled way better than the England seamers. But, today England were outstanding with the ball, they showed how it needs to be done," Karthik opined.Michael Vaughan also added that ideally Akash Deep should have survived his night watchman stint late on Day 4 to protect Rishabh Pant against the charged-up England bowling attack early on the final day.
"In actual fact, I think it (Akash Deep's wicket) is a big play, because obviously Rishabh Pant will come out in the morning. Akash Deep should have been there, and seen four or five overs in the morning, got 10 or 15. Rishabh in the first hour, now holds the key to the whole Test," Vaughan concluded.Why did you not like this content?
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Edited by Gokul Nair