Mohammad Kaif Believes Karun Nair Deserved Another Opportunity. Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has strongly criticized current Test captain Shubman Gill for dropping Karun Nair from the playing XI for the ongoing fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, which began on Wednesday, July 23.
India made three changes to their lineup for this Test. At the toss, skipper Gill confirmed that Sai Sudharsan, Shardul Thakur, and debutant Anshul Kamboj had replaced Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Akash Deep. Notably, Reddy and Akash Deep were ruled out due to injuries.
As for Nair, he featured in the first three Tests of the series but struggled to make an impact with the bat. The right-hander failed to register a single half-century in six innings, scoring a total of 131 runs, with a highest score of 40.
Mohammad Kaif Criticizes Shubman Gill for Dropping Karun Nair
Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif has taken a dig at Indian skipper Shubman Gill for leaving out Karun Nair from the playing XI for the Manchester Test. Kaif believes Nair deserved another opportunity and that Gill missed a crucial moment to show leadership.
“Today was Shubman Gill’s chance to support Karun, who may be struggling but still deserved one more chance. He should have picked Karun Nair. A missed opportunity to earn respect by making a tough call as a leader,” Kaif posted on X
Today was Shubman Gill's chance to back karun who was down but deserved one more chance. He should have picked Karun Nair. Chance missed to earn the respect when it comes to making tough decisions as a leader.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 23, 2025
Notably, Karun Nair may now struggle to find a place in the Test team. Despite making a comeback to Test cricket after eight years, he failed to make a significant impact with his performance.
Meanwhile, England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bowl first in the fourth Test. During the first session, openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul (46) provided a solid start, putting together a 91-run opening partnership. India currently trail 1-2 in the five-match series, making the Manchester Test a must-win encounter for the visitors.
