Karun Nair vs Sai Sudharsan - who should bat at number 3 in 1st ENG vs IND 2025 Test?

The build-up to India's highly anticipated five-Test series in England is at an all-time high, with the first Test set to begin at Leeds on Friday, June 20. With the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, India's batting order for the England series has dominated the conversations between experts and fans.

Skipper Shubman Gill's position in the batting order has been a hot topic of discussion. While he has batted at No. 3 in Tests for the last year and a half, many have urged the 25-year-old to replace Rohit or Kohli at the top or No. 4.

Should that occur, the choice for the crucial No. 3 spot in the Indian batting order could be down to Karun Nair or Sai Sudharsan. The former is back in the Indian Test side eight years after his last appearance in 2017.

Meanwhile, Sudharsan will make his Test debut should he play the series opener against England.

Who between Nair and Sudharsan will be a better bet at No. 3 for the Leeds outing? Let us find out by considering a few key factors.

#1 Taking the 'Latest' as the 'Greatest'

As vital as historical data may be for key decisions, the latest occurrence often takes the nod as the best decision-making criterion. In deciding between Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 for the opening England Test, the warm-up games must weigh heavily on the Indian team management.

While the latter did not play the two four-day games against the England Lions, Nair was the center of attraction in both outings on his comeback. The 33-year-old batted at No. 3 in the first innings of the opening warm-up game and scored a brilliant 204 off 281 deliveries.

The right-hander did not bat in the second innings and scored only 55 runs across the two innings at No. 4 in the second warm-up outing. With the matches played in English conditions and the latest data available for either player in red-ball cricket, Nair's double century a fortnight back may have helped him seal the No. 3 spot for the series opener against England.

#2 Who is the more natural No. 3?

Beyond the numbers and pedigree, it is pivotal to consider who the more natural No. 3 is between Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan. The latter played only three 2024-25 Ranji Trophy games for Tamil Nadu, scoring an incredible 304 runs at an average of 76.

While he opened the batting in Tamil Nadu's first two outings, the southpaw batted at No. 3 in the quarterfinal against Vidarbha - the last game he played in the tournament. However, Sudharsan failed in both innings, scoring only seven and two as Tamil Nadu were ousted from the competition.

Meanwhile, Nair enjoyed a sensational 2024-25 Ranji campaign, finishing with 863 runs in nine matches at an average of 53.93. Yet, the right-hander achieved all his success in the tournament by batting at No. 5 or 4.

Hence, it is clear that Nair is more suited to the middle-order with an excellent success rate recently. On the other hand, Sudharsan has been batting in the top three recently across formats, including the Ranji Trophy, making him a better option at No. 3.

#3 The 'India' factor

Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan have limited experience playing for India across formats. The former has played six Tests and two ODIs, while the latter has played only three ODIs and a lone T20I.

Yet, if the think tank reads much into it, Sudharsan should be the no-brainer choice at No. 3. Both his ODI innings came as an opener against the new ball, while he did not bat in his lone T20I outing.

Meanwhile, Nair scored his famous triple century against England at No. 5 and batted at 5 and 6 in six out of the seven Test innings. His other innings for India in Tests came at No. 7.

The combination of both cases makes it clear that if their international careers are factored in, Sudharsan should bat at No. 3.

Conclusion

In conclusion, either choice between Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan for the No. 3 role in the England Tests could be a roll of the dice, given their lack of international experience. Yet, if the latest red-ball games and their few matches for India are considered, Sudharsan appears to be the obvious choice for the one-drop position.

Verdict: India should start the England Test series with Sai Sudharsan at No. 3.