ENG vs IND 2025: Who should get a chance at number three for India in the Old Trafford Test—Sai Sudarshan or Karun Nair? This question is not just about statistics, but also about thinking. India are trailing 1-2. We have to make a comeback in the series, and now is the time to decide.
Karun Nair is experienced. He is 33 years old, but this year he scored 863 runs in Ranji. This performance cannot be ignored, but recent statistics in Test cricket in this series do not favour him. Just 131 runs in six innings and an average of 21.83. He seems to have trouble against swinging and rising deliveries while batting at number three. Karun often gets starts—20, 31, 26, 40—but it does not convert into a long innings. His defensive approach (about 44% balls in defence) breaks the rhythm of the team.
ENG vs IND 2025: Karun Nair vs Sai Sudarshan: Who should bat at number three for India in the Old Trafford Test?
On the other hand, Sai Sudarshan is just 23 years old. He has had a good first-class career so far—1987 runs, average 38.96, but the real sign came in the second innings at Leeds. There, he made his presence felt on the English pitch by scoring 30 runs. He is left-handed, which also gives balance to India’s right-hand heavy batting line-up. These small things can spoil the line length of the bowlers.
It cannot be ignored that stability as well as flexibility is required at number three. There, the batsman has to fight the new ball and also manage the run rate. Sai seems to have both these qualities. His age also prepares the team for the future, and the biggest thing—now the team will have to take risks. The Old Trafford pitch helps fast bowlers. Karun’s past can become a cause of trouble there. Sai’s new thinking and fresh vision may change the course of the match.
At this time, India do not just need experience, they need hope, and Sai Sudarshan is that hope. The team should go with a young mindset, because now is the time to look ahead, not to look back.
