Ravi Shastri Encourages Karun Nair: “Kick Down the Door and Make Your Way In,” Says It’s Been a Long Time

Ravi Shastri Encourages Karun Nair: Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri is supporting young Sai Sudharsan to debut feature in Test cricket and bat at the important No.3 position in the first Test match against England and expects Karun Nair to bat at number five because of his "incredible" form in first-class cricket.

The first match of the five Test match series begins from Saturday here and will be Shubman Gill's first Test match as India captain.

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"It would be (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, and with him will be K L Rahul, because I think this is a big tour for him. He's the most experienced of the batsmen," Shastri said on the ICC Review on Tuesday.

"He (Rahul) opened last time when India toured England, got a hundred, (and) had a good tour. So I would hope for him to open the innings."

"Three, I'll go with the youngster, Sai Sudharsan. Whatever I've seen of him he's very impressive. This will be good exposure for him, this tour."

The 23-year-old Sudharsan is in good form at the moment as he recently became the youngest player to score 700 runs in a single IPL edition after performing successfully in first-class cricket.

In the former India captain's preferred XI for the first Test, there is no place for Gill and the new India Test captain is batting at bat No.4 after batting at No.3 in his first 32 Test matches.

According to Shastri, it is Karun Nair who should bat at No.5 at Headingley based on current form and since he has returned back to Test team after a long gap of eight years.

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In addition to his "incredible" form in first-class cricket, another factor contributing in Nair's favour is his experience in county cricket.

"In all probability, depending on what current form is, it'll be Karun Nair. He bats at five, it's a long time since he played for India. Six will be (Rishabh) Pant. I think he (Nair) has worked really hard. He's just worked his way back into the side. The number of runs he's got in first-class cricket is incredible."

"And I met him during an IPL game. I said, ‘don't just bang the door. Just kick it down and make your way in and walk into that side’. And I think he's done just that. Just the number of runs that he's got has made the selectors look in that direction and give him a place," Shastri said.

With respect to the bowling attack, Shastri said he would go with three pacers given the conditions in Leeds.

"I know it'll be a tough one between Shardul (Thakur) and Nitish Reddy, but you have to see who bowls how much. If Reddy is going to give you 12, 14 overs, then he might get the nod because of his batting. And the three fast bowlers would be, I would go with Prasidh Krishna, I would go with Mohammed Siraj and of course Jasprit Bumrah."

"In Leeds, if it's overcast and it's cloudy, there might be the temptation of going with the left-armer Arshdeep Singh as well. So it will be Prasidh Krishna/Arshdeep, but the other two will be Siraj and Bumrah." India last won a Test series in England in 2007.

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