Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron believes Karun Nair will be disappointed after he failed to deliver the goods in the opening Test match against England. Aaron noted that people were really putting their money on Nair but he failed to live up to the lofty expectations.
The visitors lost the opening Test of the five-match series by five wickets at Leeds, Headingley on Tuesday.
Nair batted at number six in the series opener but he was dismissed for a duck in the first essay and managed only 20 runs in the second innings.
Meanwhile, Nair scored 863 runs in nine matches of the Ranji Trophy at an average of 53.93, with the help of four centuries, to earn a recall into India’s Test squad. The right-hander also amassed 779 runs in nine matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy at an average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04, with the help of five hundreds.
“The main thing is that captain Shubman Gill has taken the reins from Rohit Sharma, he has scored a brilliant century. So he is going to be full of confidence when it comes to his batting. KL Rahul, again, showing his class and showing how he can really rally all the batsmen around him. He is the senior player now,” Varun Aaron said on Star Sports show Follow the Blues when he was asked about the positives for India after the first Test.
“Rishabh Pant showing what vice-captaincy can do to him with two back-to-back centuries, but the middle order is going to have to step up. Karun Nair is going to be disappointed. He came in with a lot of high hopes. People were really putting their money on him,” he added.
Aaron noted that the Vidarbha captain got out to a harmless ball in the second innings after failing to open his account in the first.
“He got out cheaply in the first innings. In the second innings as well, he couldn’t believe that he got out to a ball that was a half-volley. He is going to be hungry to come back and put some runs on board in Birmingham,” he observed.
The former lanky pacer said India would need to pull up their socks in bowling as well as fielding.
“They are going to have to pick up their bowling and fielding. Again, very batting-friendly conditions in Birmingham. So the bowlers will have to come good in batting-friendly conditions. I think Jadeja is going to play again,” he said.
The second Test match between India and England will be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham from July 2nd onwards.
