Former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has extended his support for the under-fire batter Karun Nair, urging the India team management to give the seasoned domestic run-scorer at least one more chance in the ongoing Test series against England.
Nair, who reclaimed his place in the Indian Test side after a prolific domestic season, has displayed class at the crease but hasn’t been able to convert his starts into meaningful scores.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra weighed in on Nair’s challenging international journey and stressed that latter deserves a fair run on India comeback after seven years.
“I would say give Karun Nair one more chance for sure, because this is now Karun Nair’s final chance," Chopra said. “He played earlier, scored a triple century, and then got dropped. It was slightly unfair at that time."
Dropped from the Indian Test squad following the tour of England in 2018, Nair spent years battling setbacks, including being overlooked by his state team Karnataka following the 2022 domestic season.
Karun shifted his base to Vidarbha before the next season. He enjoyed a dream run in the 2024/25 season and was rewarded by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee.
The right-hander amassed 863 runs at an average of 53.93 in 9 Ranji Trophy matches, helping Vidarbha clinch the coveted title. He carried on his brilliant run of form to the Vijay Hazare Trophy, piling up 779 runs at an average of 389.50.
“He scored a lot of runs and returned to the team. He asked cricket to give him a second chance. He went to Vidarbha, and cricket gave him a second chance. However, at some stage, that story will also end, and this is the match," Chopra remarked.
In the second Test at Edgbaston, the Indian team management decided to sideline young left-hander Sai Sudharsan and promote Nair to the crucial No. 3 spot. Despite showing glimpses of his class, the 32-year-old failed to make the opportunity count, getting dismissed for 31 and 26 in two innings.
“In the first two matches, we have seen glimpses that he can bat well, but he hasn’t scored too many runs," Chopra said, before advocating for a more generous approach to evaluating comebacks.
“I would say give him a minimum of one more Test match. Then it will be six innings. You can take a call after six innings," he explained. “When you are giving a chance to a player, err on the side of giving one extra game rather than one fewer. Comebacks don’t happen easily. Give him enough chances to fail or succeed."
Chopra also shared his thoughts on another change made to India’s XI, which saw Nitish Kumar Reddy replace Shardul Thakur.
“Although Reddy can bowl and bat, he is not as effective a bowler as Shardul Thakur," Chopra opined.
The five-match Test series currently stands level at 1-1. The third Test at Lord’s is set to begin from Thursday (July 10).
(With IANS Inputs)
