India's batting woes in the ongoing Test series against South Africa have sparked reactions from several corners, and one of the strongest came from middle-order batter Karun Nair. Although not part of the playing XI, Nair seemed to hint at his frustration and emotional connect with challenging conditions through a reflective post on X.
Without naming the venue or situation directly, he wrote, "Some conditions carry a feel you know by heart - and the silence of not being out there adds its own sting. "
His comment arrived at a time when India's batting lineup endured yet another collapse in the second Test at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati. Chasing 489, India started brightly with a 65-run stand but unraveled after the fall of the second wicket.
From 95/1, the innings dramatically fell apart as the team lost six wickets for just 27 runs across 11 overs. A late 72-run rescue act from Kuldeep Yadav and Washington Sundar helped steady the innings temporarily, but India still folded for 201.
This breakdown mirrored the problems India faced in the first Test, where they were dismissed for 189 and 93 on a difficult Kolkata pitch and eventually lost by 30 runs. The recurring pattern of collapses has raised concerns about the team's adaptability and temperament in varying conditions.
Nair's post also comes amid reports that he had been considered as a possible replacement after captain Shubman Gill suffered a neck injury during the opening Test. However, the management opted to bring in Sai Sudharsan-who was already travelling with the squad-and added Nitish Kumar Reddy as the all-round option in place of Axar Patel.
The Karnataka batter had recently made a comeback to the national setup during the England tour, his first India stint in eight years. Despite scoring 205 runs in four innings at an average of 25.63, he was left out once the team returned home, while Sudharsan remained part of the group. For the first Test, management surprised many by choosing Washington Sundar at No. 3, before reverting to Sudharsan for the second match.
Meanwhile, Nair has been reinforcing his case in domestic cricket, producing outstanding numbers for Karnataka with scores of 233, 174, and two additional fifties in his last five Ranji Trophy games.
