Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar suggested that Sai Sudharsan should have been given more chances to play at number 3 in the Indian batting order, especially considering the favourable conditions of flat pitches and a weak English bowling attack. He expresses disagreement with the team management’s decision to go with Karun Nair at number 3 after giving Sai Sudharsan one chance in the first of five Test match series against England last month.
Among the top six batters of both sides who have played all 3 matches, Zak Crawley is the only one who hasn’t scored more runs than Karun Nair. Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant have all scored at least one hundred in the ongoing India vs England Test series. Jaiswal is the worst performer amongst them, averaging 38.83. But still he has one fifty and one hundred in 6 innings.
India’s No. 3 problem in IND vs ENG Tests
 All these batters are among India’s top five. The only spot remaining is number three. And India has tried two batters there, Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair. Combined, both average 21.83 with no score of over fifty. In a series where batters have thrived, whoever has batted at number three for India has failed them.
England’s number three, Ollie Pope, hasn’t done great. Yet, he averages 31 and has scored one hundred. Already trailing 1-2, Indian management must resolve this issue. Because at some point, those in form will fail. Cricket is a game of collective effort, but individuals have to stand up for that to happen, and India’s number threes haven’t done that yet.
| Batter | Score | Entry Points | Exit Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Test | Sai Sudharsan | 0 & 20 | 91/1 & 16/1 | 92/2 & 82/2 |
| 2nd Test | Karun Nair | 31 & 26 | 15/1 & 51/1 | 95/2 & 96/2 |
| 3rd Test | Karun Nair | 40 & 14 | 13/1 & 5/1 | 74/2 & 41/2 |
After Nair’s failures at Edgbaston and Lord’s, many feel it’s time to move on from him. The 33-year-old is yet to record a single-digit score, but he’s failed to convert all four of his starts. If that happens, it’ll just show that Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill have made selection blunders in the second and third Test matches.
Shubman Gill & Gautam Gambhir’s confusing selection process favoured Karun Nair over Sai Sudharsan
When Sudharsan was named India’s number three at Headingley, it showed that the Indian management thought that he was a superior batter than Nair. The latter had played at the position for India A and scored a double hundred just weeks ago, yet Sudharsan was given the spot.
Everyone knows batting at number three in Test cricket is one of the toughest jobs. And Sudharsan was preferred over a vastly more experienced Nair. However, two low scores and Sudharsan was dropped. This move wasn’t great to begin with. If he was better equipped at number three before, how do two failures change that.
Firstly, Gambhir and Gill didn’t back Sudharsan, someone who was making his Test debut. As if playing your first red-ball match for India isn’t enough, you are doing it in England. When he needed backing, he was dropped. Now bringing him back at number three feels like Sai Sudharsan is being set up for failure.
Everyone will point fingers at him if he fails now, since no one who has batted there has done well so far. Moreover, Nair has played two matches at three. Yes, he hasn’t lived up to expectations. But it wasn’t Nair’s mistake that he was told to play at number six at Headingley. He’s managed to blunt the new ball, which is the main weapon for wicket-taking in the series, and in part done his job.
Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut in the series opener against England, where he played at no. 3 as Indian skipper Shubman Gill batted at no. 4 after the veteran batter Virat Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier this year, who batted at that position for a decade.
Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for 0 in the first innings followed by a decent 30 runs in the second, he was dropped from the playing 11 in the second fixture and Karun Nair who batted at no.6 was promoted to no.3.Nair failed to perform in the ongoing England series, making only 131 runs in six innings at an average of 21.83 and a best score of 40.
Ahead of the fourth Test match of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in Manchester, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar backed youngster Sai Sudharsan at the number three spot of the Indian Cricket Team.
I would like to see Sai Sudharsan at No.3- Sanjay Manjrekar
Former India cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has backed Sai Sudharsan to bat at number three in the upcoming fourth Test against England at Old Trafford in Manchester. Sudharsan was dropped from the playing XI after the first Test as he registered scores of 0 and 30 on his debut.
In his place, the team management promoted Karun Nair to number three, who was making his return to international cricket after five years. However, the move didn’t pay dividends as Nair failed to register a single fifty-plus score in the four innings despite getting good starts. Hence, Manjrekar has suggested giving another chance to Sudharsan in the upcoming fourth Test as the youngster showed promise in the second innings in Leeds.
Even after a dismal show in Leeds, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar backed Sai Sudharsan at the number three spot, saying that the youngster showed promise in his debut match. Sanjay Manjrekar also added that he didn’t ‘agree’ with the fact that Karun Nair was playing at the number three spot. The former cricketer further added that he wants to see Sudharsan replacing Karun Nair in the upcoming match.Sanjay Manjrekar explained on ESPNCricinfo:
“Sai Sudharsan was always my No. 3. After the first Test match, there was some promise shown with 30 runs. And, when you have flat pitches and one of England’s weakest bowling attacks, you want to play your young players.
“Karun Nair at No. 3, I didn’t agree with. Maybe the team management might just want to prove that we are backing the right horse and give him one more match. That’s something that happens. But, I would like to see Sai Sudharsan at No. 3,” Manjrekar went on to add.
Karun Nair has scored just 131 runs in six innings in the series so far at an average of 21.83 and a best score of 40. Hence, the team management might be tempted to make a change in the batting line-up after India failed to chase down 193 in the fourth innings and are trailing by 1-2 in the five-match series.
Meanwhile, India’s injury woes have continued ahead of the 4th Test as all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and seamer Arshdeep Singh have been ruled out of the upcoming fixture. Nitish Kumar Reddy has suffered a knee injury, while Arshdeep Singh has been ruled out due to a hand injury. Additionally, seamer Akash Deep is also doubtful for the game as he’s dealing with a groin niggle.
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