3 reasons why Karun Nair should not be dropped for ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

The third Test between England and India is set to begin on Thursday, July 10, at Lord's. Ahead of the crucial tie, there have been question marks over Karun Nair and his spot in the side.

Karun Nair made a comeback after eight long years, having last played a Test in 2017. The 33-year-old did not have a dream comeback, getting dismissed for a duck in his very first innings.

So far in the series, Nair has scored just 77 runs from four innings at an average of 19.25 with no standout performance. Ahead of the third Test, there has been a debate over whether India should continue with Nair.

Notably, he had a phenomenal domestic season, which led to his call-up for the England tour. With the series tied 1-1 at the moment, the Lord's Test will be crucial for both teams to gain a lead.

That said, here are three reasons why Karun Nair should get another opportunity and not be dropped for the third Test.

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#3 India have no reason to change a winning combination after the previous win

India bounced back to win the second Test by a massive margin of 336 runs at Edgbaston after an opening defeat in Leeds. It was an almost perfect game for India as they outplayed England in all aspects. Batting first, the visitors put up a solid total of 587 in the first innings. They then bowled England out for 407 to gain a healthy lead.

In the second innings, India made 427/6 declared and set the hosts a target of 608 before bowling them out for just 271 to square the series. Despite Karun Nair not quite performing well, the team should not change a winning combination after a dominating victory. It would not be advisable to chop and change a lot, but keep the momentum going.

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#2 He has shown glimpses of doing well in a couple of knocks

As mentioned earlier, Karun Nair has scored just 77 runs from four innings so far at an average of 19.25. However, in the four innings that he has batted in, he has shown glimpses of his skills and abilities.

In the first innings of the second Test, he looked good for his 31 off 50 balls, which also included five boundaries. In the second innings as well, he got a start, making 26 runs off 46 balls, where he had five hits to the fence. Both innings saw him play some cracking shots, showcasing the class that he possesses. While he was unable to convert the starts, he showed signs of doing well during his brief stays at the crease.

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#1 Karun Nair batted out of position in the second Test

Notably, Karun Nair batted at No. 6 in the first Test at Headingley. While he began in the middle order, his position was changed in the second Test. He batted at number three, which is not his natural position.

Sai Sudharsan, who made his debut in the opening Test batting at No. 3, was dropped after just one game. Therefore, chopping and changing for the same position after yet another match would lead to imbalance and insecurity.

Despite Nair not quite living up to the expectations so far, he deserves to be given another opportunity, given the rich vein of form he showed in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, on the back of which he was picked for the England tour.