Karun Nair for Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya is the only Indian player to feature in all the Tests played this year by the team including the series against South Africa and England. However, the performances in Test matches by the all-rounder who has some serious backing from the team management and captain, have been underwhelming.

He had one inning of notice against South Africa, a 93 and against England, he starred in the Nottingham Test win with a fifer and 52*. However, in more trying conditions at Lord’s or Southampton and Birmingham, he failed to perform with both bat and ball and results have been drastically not in favor of his team.

Indian captain Virat Kohli invested a lot of faith and interest in Pandya, but the development of the all-rounder as a Test player has not been on par with what was expected. For someone who has been compared to the great Kapil Dev, Pandya has not performed to his potential and time has come to move on from him and team management must look for a proper batsman in his place.

The best choice India has is Karun Nair, who has a triple century to his name against the same opposition. He has spent his whole tour to England twiddling his thumbs in the dressing room and should have been included in the playing XI much earlier.

Nair has shown the appetite for runs at the domestic level and requires a chance and trust by team management to regain his spot in the Indian Test team. He has the technique and game to score runs against the England attack and give India a good option at no.6.