Former wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta says India should select B Sai Sudharsan over Karun Nair for the final two Tests of the present series against England, citing the latter's inability to secure the number three place.

Nair, who returned to the Test team after an eight-year absence, has scored only 131 runs in three games and is the only top-four batsman from either side to have failed to reach a half-century in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.

Sudharsan, meanwhile, scored 0 and 30 in his debut Test at Leeds and has been benched since as India has brought in batting all-rounder Washington Sundar for the matches at Edgbaston and Lord's.

“In the Playing XI, you don't want more than one change. If there is only one, it would be replacing Karun Nair with Sai Sudharsan. Because Karun Nair hasn't made any runs. He's got starts, but hasn't converted them into big scores. I also believe he doesn't look that comfortable at the crease either.

And secondly, Sai Sudharsan is a young player. If you want to invest in this England series, you'd rather invest in a younger player. Karun Nair has got starts in both Test matches, but he hasn't looked that convincing,” Dasgupta said in a video for jioHotstar.

“So, if you're looking to build ahead, you might as well invest in someone like Sai Sudharsan. Because after this, I don't know when you'll come back to a series in England. So when you have two Tests left, invest in Sai Sudharsan,” he added.

The Shubman Gill-led side will look to bounce back in the fourth Test, which begins on July 23 at Old Trafford in Manchester, before the fifth and final match of the series, which takes place at The Oval in London from July 31 to August 4.