Table of Contents
Virat Kohli’s sudden retirement from the longest format ahead of a pivotal tour of England has not only shocked the cricketing fraternity but also left a gaping hole at number four – one of the most significant positions in the batting order.
Anil Kumble’s choice for the replacement of Virat Kohli at no.4 in Test cricket
Amid rising speculation about who will inherit this crucial slot, former India captain and spin legend Anil Kumble has surprisingly thrown his weight behind Karun Nair, a name that once promised greatness but quietly faded from the national radar and haven’t played a red-ball international game in last 8 years for Team India. With an unrelenting domestic season under his belt and valuable overseas experience in England, Karun may well be on the cusp of a rare second chance to prove that his earlier rise wasn’t a one-time phenomenon.
Despite being the current options in the form of Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan, in a recent interview with ESPNcricinfo, Kumble unequivocally named Karun as his choice to replace Kohli at No. 4, pointing to Nair’s recent domestic dominance and exposure to English conditions via County cricket. Kumble also indirectly called for more value to be placed on first-class achievements over IPL exploits when selecting Test squads.
“Karun deserves to come back into the Indian team with the kind of domestic run he has had. So perhaps he could be the No.4 for India because I feel, you need a bit of experience. You need someone in England who has been there and done that. He has played County cricket, so he knows the conditions. Karun may be on the other side of 30, but he is still young. If he gets an opportunity, there will be a lot more hope for youngsters to play first- class cricket. If the sheer performance in domestic cricket doesn’t get recognised, it becomes a bit of a challenge,” Kumble said.
Also READ: Mark Boucher picks Team India’s next No. 4 batter after Virat Kohli’s retirement
A stellar campaign in the domestic circuit with the bat
In the 2024–25 season, representing Vidarbha, Nair delivered one of his most prolific campaigns yet. He amassed 863 runs in just 16 innings, at an average of 53.93, including four centuries and two fifties. Not only did his performances help Vidarbha secure the Ranji Trophy title, but they also re-established him as one of India’s most technically sound middle-order batsmen.
Karun’s Test career, though short, remains one of the more perplexing chapters in Indian cricket. After scoring a monumental 303 against England in Chennai in 2016*, he was expected to become a permanent fixture in the Test setup. However, inconsistent selection policies and a lack of extended opportunities saw him relegated to the bench.
His last Test came in March 2017 against Australia in Dharamsala. Despite being part of the squad during India’s 2018 England tour, he was not given a single Test match. The years that followed saw him drift away from national reckoning, but unlike many who fade out after such setbacks, Nair doubled down on domestic cricket.
Also READ: No Shubman Gill! Kris Srikkanth reveals his top 3 choices to lead India in Test cricket
