Recall of Karun Nair could be opportunity India need

India’s ignominious defeat to the visiting South African side in the first Test, inside three days, has left serious questions hanging over the team’s balance, preparation and tactical clarity. After such a bruising loss, it is only natural for the team management and selectors to rethink the approach ahead of what is now practically a one-off Test with the series already hanging in the balance.

Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, circumstances have created an opening for change. With the captain ruled out through injury, India now have the opportunity to introduce a specialist batter in his place – one who can add depth, steadiness and much-needed resolve to the batting order.

This is where Karun Nair comes strongly into the conversation. Harsha Bhogle, a respected and measured voice in Indian cricket, has proposed Karun Nair as the ideal replacement for Shubman Gill, with the suggestion that the team look at strengthening its batting by bringing in a recognised batter in place of Shardul Thakur.

This is a recommendation that carries both logic and a sense of fairness. Nair has done more than enough to be in the discussion. His performances in domestic cricket this season have been impressive, marked by maturity, consistency and the ability to play long innings – exactly what India’s brittle batting needs at the moment.

At a time when the team is struggling to stitch meaningful partnerships together, selecting someone who has scored heavily and frequently at the first-class level offers a practical solution rather than a gamble. In a format where form and temperament matter more than flair, Karun Nair has shown that he is still very much in the reckoning.

It is also worth remembering that Karun Nair is no stranger to Test cricket. One does not score a triple-century in this format, as he famously did against England in 2016, without possessing the ability to handle pressure, pace changes and elite bowling attacks.

His exclusion thereafter has long puzzled many, and while Indian cricket has understand ably moved forward with new talent, it is equally important not to turn a blind eye to those who continue to make a convincing case season after season.

If performance in domestic cricket is the yardstick, then Karun Nair has earned the right to walk back into the dressing room with his head held high. Moreover, Indian cricket must also think in the long term. A team cannot afford to rely on half-fit all-rounders to plug batting gaps while simultaneously expecting them to deliver long spells with the ball. South Africa exposed that flaw mercilessly.

The strategy for the next Test must therefore be unambiguous: play five bowlers only if the top six are reliable enough to carry the innings. At present, they are not. India need reinforcements, not experiments. If Karun Nair is given a chance and makes runs, India not only increase their chances in the immediate Test but also widen their bench strength at a time when transition is slowly but surely under way.

For a proud cricketing nation, this is not just about correcting a mistake – it is about restoring belief.