Former India opener and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra has thrown his weight behind Karun Nair, urging the Indian team management to give the under-fire batter one more opportunity in the ongoing Test series against England. Nair, who made his way back into the Indian Test setup on the back of a stellar domestic season with Vidarbha, has looked composed at the crease but hasn’t been able to convert his starts into meaningful contributions.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra delved into Nair’s roller-coaster journey, highlighting how his past treatment by selectors was less than fair. “I would say give Karun Nair one more chance for sure, because this is now Karun Nair’s final chance,” Chopra remarked. “He played earlier, scored a triple century, and then got dropped. It was slightly unfair at that time.”
Nair’s unbeaten 303 against England in 2016 remains one of the most memorable knocks in Indian Test history, yet the Karnataka-born batter was sidelined soon after. A change of domestic allegiance to Vidarbha and a string of consistent performances earned him a Test recall. Chopra acknowledged the effort and resilience it took for Nair to claw his way back into contention.
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“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. But at some point, that story will also run its course — and this might be that moment,” he warned.
In the second Test at Edgbaston, Karun Nair was promoted to bat at No. 3 in place of Sai Sudharsan, but he failed to make a substantial impact.
“In the first two matches, we have seen glimpses that he can bat well, but he hasn’t scored too many runs,” said Aakash Chopra, suggesting that the 32-year-old deserves a fairer assessment. “When you’re bringing someone back, give them at least one more game — maybe six innings overall — before making a call,” he added. “It’s better to give one chance too many than one too few. Comebacks are rare; they deserve patience.”
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Chopra also touched upon Nitish Kumar Reddy’s inclusion over Shardul Thakur. While acknowledging Reddy’s all-round abilities, he pointed out, “He can bat and bowl, but he doesn’t have Shardul’s bowling impact.”
With the third Test at Lord’s starting July 10, the series stands evenly poised at 1-1.
