Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has taken a dig at middle-order batter Karun Nair for failing to make the most of his comeback during the Anderson-Tendulkar
Trophy series against England.
Nair, returning to the national side after eight years, had earned selection on the back of strong domestic performances. However, his Test series output was underwhelming - 205 runs at an average of 25.62, with only one half‑century to show for it.
Pathan, reviewing his performance, gave the right-hander a 4 out of 10 rating. The former India player criticized the batter for his poor form in the series. Nair got a number of starts but failed to convert any of them during the four matches that he played against England.
"Karun Nair gets four out of ten. Why? He didn't look particularly poor throughout the series. He kept getting starts consistently but managed only one half-century. He got plenty of opportunities. Cricket definitely gave him a second chance, but he couldn't capitalise on it the way he should have. Especially in the Lord's Test, he had a real chance to win the match for India but couldn't do it," Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
The former India all-rounder added that Nair's tendency to throw away promising starts hurt his chances.
"Other than that, it often seemed like he was playing well, building up nicely, and then suddenly, he'd play a loose shot and get out. At the Oval, when the bouncer was used against him, he looked a bit shaken and seemed more unsettled and uncomfortable. So, he gets four points," he added.
Nair will be hoping for another crack with the Indian team in the upcoming Test series against West Indies. The Indian team will play against South Africa at home as well following the series against the Windies.
