• Home
  • Who Said What
  • He Could Be The No 4 Anil Kumble Backs Karun Nair As Virat Kohlis Replacement

"He Could Be The No 4," Anil Kumble Backs Karun Nair As Virat Kohli's Replacement

Arnav Chopra

Karun Nair and Virat Kohli (Source: @BCCI/X.com)Karun Nair and Virat Kohli (Source: @BCCI/X.com)

After two sudden retirements of Indian stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the Indian side is still looking for their replacements for the upcoming prized England tour, slated for June and July. Now, former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble brings his perspective on whom should replace Kohli at the number four spot.

Anil Kumble Backs Karun Nair To Replace Kohli

In what is coming as a massive challenge for the Indian side, who are also looking for their new skipper, will be to replace the stalwart Virat Kohli at the number four spot, who has done an incredible job at that position for over a decade.

Considering the fact that India have a number of players to replace Kohli, former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble backs Indian domestic star Karun Nair to replace Kohli at that crucial position. Nair, who is 33 years old, has been incredible in domestic cricket in the past few years with some outstanding stats backing his inclusion in the side.

Kumble feels that India had a backup opener in KL Rahul for Rohit Sharma, whereas they have not tried and tested anyone at the number four spot, and that is why it is a matter of concern.

“I don’t think anybody thought through who’s gonna bat at No.4. Rohit (Sharma) in Australia didn’t play the first Test, so there was a change in the batting order. Once (KL) Rahul did well, Rohit dropped down the order and then he dropped himself from the XI in that last Test. So you sort of know who is the backup opener for India, but I don’t think anyone thought through No. 4,” Kumble stated. 

Looking forward, he believes Nair has the ability to perform under pressure in England and has seemingly done well in county cricket, previously.

“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,” he added. 

Whereas Anil added that Nair's prolific season with the bat hopefully doesn't go unrecognized, which will be a problem for the future players if the right-hander doesn't get the nod.

“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," the former Test skipper concluded.

Karun Nair's High-Profile Domestic Stats

The right-hander, who plays for Karnataka in domestic cricket, switched his alliance to Vidarbha in the latest season where he had a magnificent run with the bat, scoring 779 runs in eight innings in the Vijay Hazare trophy, while only being dismissed twice during his knock.

Adding to this, he also had five tons with four of them coming in consecutive innings as Vidarbha finished second.

Overall in his first-class career, Karun Nair, who has played in 114 matches, has scored 8,211 runs at an average of 49.16, with 36 half-centuries and 23 hundreds to his name. Also, in the recent Ranji season, he went on to score 863 runs in just nine matches at an average of 53.93, helping Vidarbha lift the Ranji trophy title.

Currently a part of Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Nair will have a crucial role to play for India if selected, considering he had scored a triple hundred against the same side back in 2016 in Chennai.