"Maybe this could be the last chance" - Varun Aaron on India batter heading into ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

Former India player Varun Aaron has noted that Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will be the Indian team's most important batters in the second Test against England at Edgbaston. However, he opined that Karun Nair could be equally important, highlighting that the former Northamptonshire player has done well at the venue in county cricket and that it could be the middle-order batter's last opportunity to retain his place in the XI.

England beat India by five wickets in Leeds to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The second Test will be played in Birmingham from Wednesday, July 2, onwards.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Game Plan,' Aaron was asked to pick India's three most important batters heading into the second Test, considering the likely conditions at Edgbaston.

"Obviously, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will be there because they scored centuries in the first Test. However, in my opinion, Karun Nair will be a very important batter at Edgbaston because he has scored runs there in county cricket," the former India pacer responded. "So he will take that confidence to Edgbaston. In my opinion, it's a very important game for Karun. He didn't score runs in the first match. Karun will definitely be under pressure because he has regained his place after eight years. Maybe this could be the last chance," he added.

Karun Nair was dismissed for a four-ball duck in India's first innings of the Leeds Test. He couldn't play a substantial knock in the second innings either, scoring 20 runs off 54 deliveries.

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"KL Rahul has found a good method" - Varun Aaron on Indian opener's importance heading into ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test

KL Rahul scored a century in the second innings of the Leeds Test. [P/C: Getty]

In the same interaction, Varun Aaron was asked about KL Rahul's importance as an opener for India heading into the second Test.

"The opener's role is very important because if an opener gives you a good base, you can score runs from there. KL Rahul has found a good method. He keeps his back foot in front of the off-stump. Due to that, his head is on top of the off-stump. Then, when the bowler bowls outside your right eye line, you know the ball won't hit the stumps," he replied.

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the right-handed opener has left balls both on line and length.

"KL Rahul has one more excellent method. He leaves the back-of-length balls very well. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal got out to back-of-length balls in the second innings. They could have left those balls. Leaving balls on length is very difficult, which KL Rahul is doing, and I feel he will do that in Birmingham and the entire series," Aaron observed.

KL Rahul contributed 42 runs off 78 deliveries in India's first innings of the Leeds Test. He scored a 247-ball 137 in the second innings to help the visitors set England a 371-run target, which, however, proved insufficient.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer