Shreyas Iyer’s India A captaincy boosts Test comeback hopes as Karun Nair faces uncertain future
Shreyas Iyer to captain India A in two multi-day matches against Australia A starting September 16 in Lucknow. Shreyas Iyer Elevated as India A Captain, Karun Nair’s Test Future in Doubt Shreyas Iyer might have been overlooked for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, but the batter has been elevated to India A captaincy, leading the side in two multi-day matches against Australia A, beginning September 16 in Lucknow. Former India batter Aakash Chopra believes this move clears the path for the 30-year-old to make a Test comeback. Shreyas Iyer was not named in India’s squad for the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. He last played a Test in 2024 but was sidelined following injury and his reluctance to play the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai. Although ousted from the central contracts list, strong performances in white-ball cricket earned him a return. Speaking on Shreyas Iyer captaincy, Chopra also discussed Karun Nair’s uncertain Test future. In the series against England, Nair managed just one fifty in eight innings, scoring 205 runs. After eight years, he had earned a place in the Test squad, but despite his 2016 Chennai triple century fame, he failed to capitalize on starts in the UK. “Shreyas Iyer is the captain of India A for the multi-day matches against Australia A. Dhruv Jurel is the vice-captain. Abhimanyu Easwaran used to be the captain, but that is no longer the case. He is a member of the team, but he is not the captain. If you see the last few tours, there has always been a new captain. The leadership of late has been a case of musical chairs,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. Chopra added, “Why has Shreyas been elevated as the captain? It is because the No.3 and No.6 slots in Tests are still open. Sai Sudharsan and Easwaran are also in the squad, but Karun Nair is not there. It is a big step because Karun asked for a second chance, and he was given that. He performed okay-okay; he was shuffled up and down the batting order. I thought the upcoming West Indies series would see Karun Nair being included.” ‘Karun Nair won’t play further’ Aakash Chopra believes Karun Nair’s path has become tricky, with all signs pointing to his exclusion from India’s upcoming home series against the West Indies, beginning October 2. Chopra also highlighted that Shreyas Iyer now has the opportunity to cement his place in the Test playing XI and could shine if selected for the series. “Unfortunately, it looks like you won’t see Karun Nair playing further. He is fit but not picked; it seems the selectors have decided to look past him. Shreyas is interesting. He was not picked for the Asia Cup, and there was a lot of backlash. Now he finds himself at the helm of the India A team,” said Chopra. “Looking at the Indian team’s next few assignments, you would think that Shreyas will play two of the three formats. He plays ODIs, and I think he would get a chance in Tests in the upcoming series against the West Indies and South Africa. The kind of pitches there are in India, I think, he will score runs. The door has opened up for him, and nicely,” he added. Sign Up Fast For E2Bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration!
India Coach’s Strong Statement on Karun Nair’s No. 6 Role in 5th Test: “He Never Complained”
So far in the series, Karun Nair has scored 183 runs across four Tests and seven innings, maintaining an average of 30.50 with a highest score of 52 not out. After a rain-affected opening day of the fifth and final Test against England at The Oval, India’s assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate praised Nair’s gritty unbeaten half-century. He highlighted how Karun Nair has managed the pressure of returning to the Test side after a long absence, putting himself in a strong position to play a big and impactful innings for the team. Nair’s determined knock, coming after several promising but unfinished starts in earlier matches, was a standout moment on day one at The Oval. His efforts helped India surpass the 200-run mark and build a crucial half-century partnership with Washington Sundar, which will continue on day two. This series also marks Nair’s comeback to international cricket after eight years. Doeschate Praises Karun Nair’s Adaptability and Composure Amid Changing Batting Positions Speaking about Karun Nair’s shifting batting positions throughout the tour—from number six in the first Test, to number three in the second and third, and now number five at The Oval—assistant coach Doeschate commented in the post-day press conference, “He started off at six in the first Test and then batted at three for the other two. His tempo and rhythm were very good. He is a quality player, especially because he can absorb pressure. Coming back after a long absence, the pressure is always there, but he has handled it very well.” Karun Nair has scored 183 runs in seven innings across four Tests, averaging 30.50 with a highest score of 52* at The Oval. While he showed fluency in several innings, he has struggled to convert starts into big scores. Doeschate acknowledged this, saying, “When you represent a country like India, the pressure is immense. Hats off to Karun—he’s had a good tour and now has a chance tomorrow to get a big, meaningful score for the team.” The coach praised Karun Nair versatility in batting anywhere in the order, noting, “I thought six was a big ask; it’s very different to five, four, or three. But today’s conditions suited him nicely. He never complains and always puts the team first. He just focuses on doing the job for the team and wants to play as much Test cricket as he can.” In the match, England won the toss and chose to field. India struggled to build big partnerships, losing early wickets including openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (2) and KL Rahul (14), and skipper Shubman Gill who was run out for 21. Despite setbacks, Nair (52) and Sundar (19) put together a crucial 51-run partnership for the seventh wicket, helping India surpass 200 runs. England’s Gus Atkinson (2/31) and Josh Tongue (2/47) were the pick of the bowlers. Sign Up Fast For E2bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration
Is Karun Nair’s ‘one more chance’ in England over? India coach says ‘we want more’ amid Sai Sudharsan calls
Karun Nair has scored only 131 runs across three matches, averaging under 22 in the series so far. Karun Nair’s Struggle and Sudharsan’s Potential Call-Up Amid India’s Do-or-Die Series After pleading for “one more chance” in a viral December 2022 post, Karun Nair earned a recall thanks to his stellar domestic season and the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee’s faith. However, his return hasn’t gone as planned, with just 131 runs at an average below 22 across three matches in the ongoing series. Following India’s crucial defeat at Lord’s, leaving them 1-2 down in the five-match contest, calls have intensified for Sai Sudharsan to replace Nair in the upcoming Manchester Test. Nair’s comeback came eight years after his last appearance, buoyed by a double century for India A in England. Yet, he has struggled to find that form in the senior team. India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate weighed in amid the debate, emphasizing the team’s collective performance rather than individual failures. “It might seem counter-intuitive when you’re 2-1 down, but the guys have been excellent for large parts of the series,” he said, highlighting how sudden wicket losses at key moments have cost India crucial matches. “Karun’s rhythm and tempo are good; we want more runs from him, but the focus is on building on strengths and fixing the small errors that have hurt us,” Ten Doeschate added, suggesting patience with Nair despite the pressure. Deep Dasgupta Backs Sai Sudharsan’s Return Over Karun Nair Former India cricketer Deep Dasgupta advocated for Sai Sudharsan’s inclusion in the playing XI in place of Karun Nair. “In the playing XI, you don’t want more than one change. If there is only one, it should be replacing Karun Nair with Sai Sudharsan. Karun Nair hasn’t converted his starts into big scores and doesn’t look fully comfortable at the crease,” Dasgupta said during a JioHotstar analysis. He added, “Sai Sudharsan is a young player, and if you want to invest in this England series, investing in a youngster makes more sense. Nair has gotten starts in both Tests but hasn’t looked convincing. With two Tests left, this is the perfect opportunity to back Sudharsan.” Sudharsan made his Test debut in Leeds, scoring a duck in the first innings but improving with 30 runs in the second. He was dropped in the next Test as India opted for more bowling options by including all-rounder Washington Sundar. Sign Up Fast For E2Bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration!
Karun Nair gives a huge boost to the Indian Test team by scoring 200 runs in the first unofficial Test between India A and England Lions.
Karun Nair is included in the Indian squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England. The Indian cricket team will tour England next month for this Test series. Ahead of the series, India A and England Lions are competing in a two-match unofficial Test series. The first unofficial Test began at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury on May 30. England Lions captain James Rew won the toss and chose to bowl first. India A lost both their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhimanyu Easwaran, cheaply in the first innings. However, Karun Nair delivered a brilliant batting performance in the match. The right-handed batsman reached a double century on day 2. His double hundred helped the team cross 450 runs on the board. Alongside Nair, Sarfaraz Khan (92) and Dhruv Jurel (94) also played impressive innings in the match. Nair ended his innings on 204 runs off 281 balls, hitting 26 boundaries and one six. Karun Nair is part of India squad for England test series Karun Nair has been included in India’s squad for the upcoming Test series against England. His recent performance on English soil has been a significant boost for the Indian team ahead of the series. At 33 years old, Karun Nair returns to the Test side after an eight-year hiatus, making him one of the surprising selections. Karun Nair, who famously scored a triple century in Test cricket, last represented India in March 2017 during a series against Australia. Thanks to his consistent batting form in domestic cricket, he earned a call-up for the England Tests. India’s new Test captain, Shubman Gill, will lead the team in the five-match series against England. The first Test will start on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds. The series will conclude with the fifth Test at The Oval in London during the first week of August. Gill will be supported by Rishabh Pant, who will serve as the vice-captain. However, Gill faces a huge responsibility, leading a relatively young squad and stepping into the role without much prior experience as captain. Veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli recently retired from Test cricket earlier this month. Sign Up Fast For E2bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration