"He certainly keeps his place" - Anil Kumble on India's playing XI for ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former India player Anil Kumble has opined that the Indian team management shouldn't make too many changes to their playing XI for the fourth Test against England. He reckoned that Karun Nair should keep his place in the side.

England beat India by 22 runs in the third Test at Lord's on Monday (July 14) to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. The fourth Test will be played in Manchester from July 23 onwards.

During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues,' Kumble was asked whether India should make a few changes to their playing XI for the fourth Test and if Nair should be retained.

"I don't want to make too many changes because I think India have played a fantastic game. Yes, they lost by 22 runs. Unless injuries, we don't know about Rishabh Pant," the former India captain responded.

"He (Nair) certainly keeps his place. He did enough in the first innings. In the second innings, it was probably a brain fade, but he was batting well. That partnership was crucial," he added.

Kumble highlighted that Nair stitched together a crucial 61-run partnership with KL Rahul (100 off 177) in the first innings, which ensured that Shubman Gill didn't have to walk out to bat in the first 20 overs.

"If he had gotten out early, then maybe Shubman Gill exposed slightly earlier with the new ball. We know that the first 20 or 25 overs were crucial. I think he will still keep his place. He was unfortunate that he got out. It was a brilliant catch by Joe Root. Probably give him one more opportunity," he observed.

Karun Nair scored 40 runs off 62 deliveries and was brilliantly caught by Joe Root at slip off Ben Stokes' bowling in India's first innings of the Lord's Test. He scored a 33-ball 14 in the second innings and was dismissed lbw while not offering a shot to an incoming Brydon Carse delivery.

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"Ravindra Jadeja has certainly stepped up with his batting" - Anil Kumble on India's biggest takeaway from ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Ravindra Jadeja has struck half-centuries in his last four innings. [P/C: Getty]

In the same interaction, Anil Kumble was asked whether lower-order batting was the biggest takeaway for India from the Lord's Test.

"The first Test, when India lost, the contribution from the lower order was nothing in the two innings, and since then, Ravindra Jadeja has certainly stepped up with his batting. He certainly will feel confident, and the team management will also feel so much more confident that the lower order is now contributing," he replied.

The former India head coach praised Ravindra Jadeja for stitching partnerships with frontline and lower-order batters in both innings of the Lord's Test.

"He has been the sole sort of leader in that middle order to hold the innings, not just with a recognized batter, and putting together a partnership, but also ensuring that the lower order starts contributing along with him, and those partnerships that he has had, even in the first innings with Nitish Kumar Reddy, second innings with him, and of course, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj," Kumble elaborated.

Ravindra Jadeja scored 72 runs off 131 balls in the first innings of the Lord's Test. He remained unbeaten on a 181-ball 61 in the second innings, taking India to 170 along with Nitish Kumar Reddy (13 off 53), Jasprit Bumrah (5 off 54) and Mohammed Siraj (4 off 30) after they were in dire straits at 82/7 in pursuit of a 193-run target.