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R Ashwin criticises Team India management for undermining Karun Nair's mindset: 'You played him in unfamiliar position'
Legendary Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has criticised Team India management for forcing Karun Nair into a new role, which he feels would have impacted his mindset after the batter was dropped from the playing XI. Karun did not find a place in India's playing XI for the fourth Test against England at Manchester that began on Wednesday, with the visitors being 2-1 down in the five-match series.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill decided to include top-order batter Sai Sudharsan at No.3 in place of Nair as the Chennai cricketer scored 61 on Day 1. This was Sai Sudharsan's second Test. His debut came in the first Test at Headingley at No.3, but he was dropped after scores of 0 and 30, while Nair was promoted to No.3 from No.6. Nair is largely a No.5 batter.
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Ashwin slams Team India management for Karun Nair treatment
Analysing Day 1's play from the Manchester Test, Ashwin lambasted the Indian team management for hurting Nair's mindset as he praised Sudharsan's 'fine' knock.
'What a fine, fine knock for someone playing just his second Test, Vimal bhai. I'm not kidding - he got a chance at No. 3 in his debut, and then he was dropped. That shouldn't have happened. He was your technically sound No. 3 with the right mindset. Karun Nair had never batted at three before. You made him play in an unfamiliar position and that affected his mindset,' Ashwin said on his YouTube show Ash ki Baat with journalist Vimal Kumar.
Ashwin also highlighted the challenges Sudharsan had to overcome to score a fifty on return after losing his spot immediately after his debut.
'Credit to Sai Sudharsan, because it is not easy being a youngster after getting dropped and with India 1-2 behind in the series to come into the fourth Test and respond the way he did. I think he has to own that No. 3 for the near future to be able to give a bit of solidity for the team,' Ashwin said.
'He showed that sort of solidity. He was able to leave the ball. He earned the right to score those runs. I am a bit upset because I am a huge well-wisher of him. He could have scored a hundred.'
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