India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has revealed it was the management’s call to drop Karun Nair in the fourth Test match against England. Nair could not grab his chances in the first three Test matches and he was replaced by Sai Sudharsan.
While Sai scored an impressive knock of 61 runs in the first innings, he was dismissed for a golden duck in the second dig.
On the other hand, Nair could not grab his opportunity as he amassed only 131 runs in three Test matches against England at an average of 21.83. The 33-year-old got off to starts in every innings but could not convert them into a substantial score.
Sitanshu Kotak said in the press conference, “Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill take the call on selection. When Gill said that we’ll back Karun, he meant that as a batter overall. Karun hasn’t batted badly at all. He has got good starts every time. Maybe the team management may have felt that there could pressure on him in the fourth Test. We can always change [the combination]. It doesn’t mean that the team management is not backing him.”
Nair could not deliver while batting at one down in the last two Test matches but Kotak played down batting woes at number three position.
He added, “I don’t think it’s been a problem to be honest. Karun got a few starts and got out. Sai also scored 30 in the first game in the second innings and got out. The way Sai batted in the first innings was very good. Second innings, obviously, he got out first ball.”
Meanwhile, India was reduced to 0-2 in the second innings after England took a massive lead of 311 runs with Chris Woakes dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan. However, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill added a crucial alliance of 174, staying unbeaten on 87 and 78 runs respectively at the end of fourth day’s play.
India ended the day’s play at 174-2 and would aim for the draw.
