Karun Nair blasted for 'beautiful batting' at No. 3, ordered to score an ugly hundred

Former India National Cricket Team wicketkeeper-batsman Farokh Engineer has criticised the 33-year-old batsman Karun Nair for his 'beautiful batting' in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

Farokh Engineer said that a No.3 batter like Karun Nair should not score a beautiful 20 or 30 runs; instead, a not-so-beautiful hundred is expected from him.

Karun Nair likely to be dropped for fourth Test

The 33-year-old batsman Karun Nair has failed to justify his place in the India National Cricket Team in the ongoing five-match Test series against the England National Cricket Team.

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Nair has batted at two positions so far - No.3 and No.6 - in the India Test playing XI and is yet to score a half-century despite the pitches being quite flat in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.

He batted at the No.6 position in his comeback game at Headingley in Leeds, where he bagged a duck in the first innings and scored 20 runs in the second innings.

Nair was then promoted to No.3, and he scored 31 and 26 in the Edgbaston Test and 40 and 14 in the Lord's Test. His mode of dismissals has also come under scrutiny, and according to several media reports, he is likely to be dropped for the Manchester Test.

Reportedly, the young batting sensation Sai Sudharsan is a hot favorite to take over the No.3 spot from Karun Nair in the fourth Test match.

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But a beautiful 30 is not expected from a No. 3 - Farokh Engineer

In an interaction with TOI, Farokh Engineer said that the expectations should be higher from a No.3 batsman, and the 20s and 30s just won't work. He also advised India to pick Sai Sudharsan for the third Test match. He elaborated:

"Karun Nair has been getting brilliant 20s and 30s. He's (Nair) scored beautiful 30 runs, beautiful cover drives and all that. But a beautiful 30 is not expected from a No. 3. You've got to get a not-so-beautiful 100. You need runs on the board. You need (to score) bigger. The expectation should be much higher.

"We should pick the best XI. I haven't seen much of Sai Sudharsan. You've got to pick the best player for the time being. Who's going to give you maximum? You are playing for your country. Your reputation is at stake. So, I would say, forget the age. If he's good, play him to win this Test match."

I think he will be retained for the remaining two Tests - Usman Ghani

Amid heavy criticism from the cricketing fraternity, Karun Nair has found some support from Usman Ghani, the Vidarbha coach, who has backed the batter to retain his place in the fourth Test match.

"Karun has unfortunately got out to a few very good deliveries [on the England tour]. He got a good ball in the last innings at Lord’s as well, where he left the ball [but was trapped LBW by pacer Brydon Carse].

"It’s possible that he may have gone into a defensive mode. He probably was in two minds about whether to leave or play that one. But I believe whatever innings he has played, have been very sweet. I think he will be retained for the remaining two Tests,” Ghani told Mid-Day