Anil Kumble names ideal contender for Virat Kohli's no 4 spot in Test squad

Legendary India spinner Anil Kumble has revealed the ideal contender for Virat Kohli’s number four position in Test cricket, suggesting Karun Nair’s name. Kohli’s sudden retirement ahead of the all-important tour of England has left a gaping hole in the Indian Test squad, which India must fill for the crucial series.

As the team management begins searching for Kohli’s replacement, Kumble named Karun Nair to fill in the massive shoes, mentioning his success in the domestic season. He also stated that since Nair has the experience of playing in England, having plied his trade for Northamptonshire in County Cricket.

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"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 ned 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 told ESPNCricinfo.

Nair was in the form of his life as he enjoyed a prolific run in the domestic season. He played a pivotal role in Vidarbha’s triumph in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25, being the fourth-highest run scorer of the season. He accumulated 863 runs from 16 innings at an average of 53.93, registering four hundreds and two fifties.

Nair likely to be picked in India A squad

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Earlier, he played an integral part in his team’s run to the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, being the highest run scorer of the tournament. The 33-year-old scored 779 runs from eight innings at a mind-boggling average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04 with five hundreds and one fifty.

He also finished as the highest run scorer for his team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 with 255 runs from six innings at an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 177.08. Hence, Nair has been plundering runs everywhere and has openly expressed his desire to make a comeback to the Indian side.

His last appearance in Test cricket was back in 2017 against Australia in Dharamsala, and he was never picked again following the tour to England in 2018. He’s likely to be picked in the India A squad, which will face the England Lions in two four-day matches during the May-June window in preparation for the five-match Test series against England. A stellar show in the series could well open the doors for a return for Karun Nair.

Published By: Rishabh Beniwal Published On: May 14, 2025

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