Karun Nair Suggested as Best Replacement for Virat Kohli in Test Cricket

Virat Kohli's Retirement Sparks Replacement Debate

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has recently announced his retirement from Test cricket, where he played in the number four position. This has led to ongoing discussions about who could be the ideal replacement for him. Speculations have ranged from KL Rahul to Shubman Gill.

However, former batting coach of the Indian team, Sanjay Bangar, has made a surprising claim regarding the best candidate for this role. Instead of the usual names, he has pointed to Karun Nair as the top choice.

India is set to tour England next month for a five-match Test series, and Nair has been out of the national team for quite some time, having last played for India in 2017. Despite this, he has been performing exceptionally well in domestic cricket and has been included in the India A team for the England tour. The India A squad is scheduled to play two first-class matches against England Lions and one intra-squad match with the senior Indian team.

Bangar stated on ESPN Cricinfo, 'I am considering Karun Nair for the number four position. If we prioritize domestic cricket and use it as a benchmark, he has made every effort to regain his place in Test cricket.' Nair is only the second Indian after Virender Sehwag to score a triple century in Tests, having played six Test matches and two ODIs for India.

In addition to Nair, Bangar also advocated for including Abhimanyu Easwaran in the Indian team. Like Nair, Easwaran has shown impressive performance in domestic cricket. The former coach remarked, 'What about Abhimanyu Easwaran? He has scored a lot of runs, and I am confident he will secure a spot in the Test team.'