"Karun Nair not being there is a big step" - Aakash Chopra on batter's non-selection for IND-A vs AUS-A series

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that Karun Nair's non-selection in the India A squad for the upcoming series against Australia A is a big step. While acknowledging that Nair didn't make the most of his opportunities in the Test series against England, he noted that the right-handed batter didn't do too badly either.

India A will lock horns with Australia A in two multi-day matches, with the first game to be played in Lucknow from September 16 onwards. Nair hasn't been picked in the India A squad, although it's unclear whether he has recovered from the fracture he sustained in his finger in the final Test against England.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener wondered whether Nair's performances in England were bad enough for him to be ignored for India A's series against Australia A.

"Karun Nair not being there is a big step. He asked cricket for a second chance, and it was given as well. I would say his performance was okay-okay. You can't say that he grabbed that chance with both hands, but you can't also say his performance was very ordinary either, that you should drop him suddenly," he said (2:10).

Chopra reckoned that Nair is now unlikely to be a part of the Indian team for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies.

"He was moved up and down in the batting order, was sent at No. 3 and No. 6. Despite that, he scored a few runs, but got out in some places. I felt he would get a chance in the West Indies tour of India. Unfortunately, you might not see Karun Nair playing now," he observed.

Aakash Chopra opined that the selectors are potentially no longer looking at Karun Nair as the 33-year-old, unlike the injured Sarfaraz Khan, is fit and available. The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Nair could have solidified his place in the side if he were to play the Test series against the West Indies at home.

---

"He is not that far ahead" - Aakash Chopra on Sai Sudharsan's potential competition with Abhimanyu Easwaran in IND-A vs AUS-A series

Sai Sudharsan played three Tests in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan, who have been picked in the India A squad, are potentially competing for one spot in the Test side, with the Tamil Nadu batter not too far ahead in the race.

"Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan will get opportunities and both need to score runs. Since Sai Sudharsan is coming after playing in the current team, you feel he is slightly ahead in the race, but he is not that far ahead. Abhimanyu Easwaran is there, but he never gets a play, so that goes against him," he said (6:20).

The analyst added that Easwaran could move above Sudharsan in the pecking order if he scores runs against Australia A.

"However, the one thing that is in Abhimanyu Easwaran's favor is that the selectors have said they want to keep him for sure, as he is consistent. He is not someone who has been dropped even from India A. If he scores runs here, he could run ahead of Sai Sudharsan. It's a race between them," Chopra observed.

Sai Sudharsan scored 140 runs at an average of 23.33 in six innings in India's Test tour of England earlier this year. Abhimanyu Easwaran was also part of the Indian squad but didn't get to make his Test debut.