"Karun Nair should sit with his fingers crossed that India win this match somehow" - Aakash Chopra on batter's future amid ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Karun Nair's place in the Indian team's playing XI for the fourth Test against England might depend on the result of the ongoing third Test. He highlighted that Nair has given enough glimpses to suggest that he can score big runs, but hasn't been able to do so in six innings thus far.

Nair was dismissed for a 33-ball 14 as India ended Day 4 (Sunday, July 13) at Lord's at 58/4 in pursuit of a 193-run target. The visitors had bowled England out for 192 in their second innings earlier in the day.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator reckoned that Nair might need an Indian win at Lord's to retain his place in the XI for the next Test in Manchester.

"Karun Nair, what about the road ahead? Now both innings have ended. He has scored 40 once for sure, and got a few starts. I think this match's outcome might determine whether he plays the next match in Manchester or not. He has scored enough runs for you to feel that there is a possibility of him scoring big runs," Chopra said (17:05).

"However, he has got six innings, and even a half-century hasn't been scored. It might be unfair, might be fair, I don't know, but many times the outcome of the game decides where you go. I feel Karun Nair should sit with his fingers crossed that India win this match somehow," he added.

Aakash Chopra opined that Karun Nair's career could be on the line. He reasoned that the 33-year-old might not get a chance again, considering his age.

---

"The way he got out was very bad" - Aakash Chopra criticizes Yashasvi Jaiswal's dismissal on Day 4 of ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed for a duck on Day 4 of the Lord's Test. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra expressed disappointment over Yashasvi Jaiswal's mode of dismissal in India's second innings.

"Yashasvi Jaiswal has scored a century and a half-century, but the way he got out was very bad. When (Rishabh) Pant gets out, I am also the one who asks you to criticize his lack of runs and not his playing style, because the guy plays like that only," he said.

The former India batter highlighted that Jaiswal's playing style is not like Rishabh Pant's, and that the opener erred both in shot selection and execution.

"However, Yashasvi doesn't play like that. You expect Yashasvi to play a little more cautiously. It was a bad shot. The shot selection and execution were both wrong. Yashasvi getting out was a huge dent," Chopra observed.

Yashasvi Jaiswal (0 off 7) attempted an ungainly pull shot off Jofra Archer's bowling, only managing to sky the ball for Jamie Smith to take the catch behind the wickets. India lost Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (6 off 9) and Akash Deep's (1 off 11) wickets thereafter, and have an uphill task in front of them heading into Day 5.