Karun Nair had got a second chance, but he does not seem to have made the most of it on the tour of England. He could end up being dropped from the fourth Test at Manchester after he was back with a bang in the playing 11 after eight years.

The 33-year-old has got off to good starts in most of his six innings, but he has not been able to convert them into big scores. Nair has looked impressive in the middle, especially while playing his drives, but the rising ball from length has been troubling him. In the second innings at Lord’s, he misjudged the line and length of a delivery Brydon Carse and offered no shot, but found himself trapped in front.

With India 1-2 behind in the series and the next game still a week away, the Indian cricket management needs to take a call on whether to persist with Nair or invest in the much younger Sai Sudharsan who was left out of the playing 11 after his debut game. Sai Sudharsan was changed only to accommodate an extra batting option at number eight. About a month later, Nair could make way for the 23-year-old Sudharsan at Old Trafford.

Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta said this could be the time to bring back Sudharsan, who is more likely to return to England in four years than Nair. “You are still very much in the series. Even this Test match at Lord’s was extremely close. It could have gone either way. But what I would be looking at is at number three. Would Karun Nair still continue or you want to invest in a young player like Sai Sudharsan who looked comfortable in the last innings that he played in that first Test match. He is young and investment for the future,” said Dasgupta. When Sudharsan played in Leeds, Nair had batted at number six.

As far as bowling is concerned, Kuldeep Yadav may have to wait more with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar doing a good job. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who would be featuring in one of the remaining two Tests, is expected to play in Manchester as India is in a must-win situation.