Is Karun Nair playing today's ENG vs IND 2025 2nd Test?

Team India batter Karun Nair has been named in the playing XI for the second Test against England, starting on Wednesday, July 2, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Nair will likely bat at number three in the game, and will be seen in action on the opening day after England won the toss and opted to bowl.

The Karantaka-born batter made his Test comeback for the England series on the back of consistent performances in the domestic circuit. In the absence of senior batters like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who retired from Test cricket, Nair also brings in much-needed experience with him, particularly while playing overseas.

The right-hander also has the experience of having played in English conditions during his County stint and for India A. His last Test appearance for India before the England tour came in 2017.

India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

---

Karun Nair will look to make the most of his opportunity in the second Test

Karun Nair, who made a Test comeback after eight years, played the opening Test but could not deliver impactful performances with the bat. He was out for a four-ball duck in the first innings. In the second innings, he scored just 20 runs off 54 balls, hitting three boundaries during his short stay.

While he failed to replicate his brilliant form in domestic cricket in the opening Test, Nair now has another opportunity to prove his worth. Given India lost the opening Test and are 0-1 behind, he will also have to take responsibility as an experienced batter with the team looking to bounce back and level the series.

So far, he has played seven Tests and scored 394 runs at an average of 49.25, with an unbeaten triple hundred as his only three-figure score.