Rohan Chowdhury in Leeds
It was a sunny and pleasantly warm Wednesday morning in Leeds, as the Indian team kicked off an intense practice session at Headingley Stadium, where the first Test against England is set to begin on Friday, June 20.
While several key takeaways emerged from the session, this report focuses on a player and a few notable moments that stood out.
Karun Nair, whose return to the Test side has been a topic of conversation since the selections, drew considerable attention. The batter from Karnataka recently made headlines during the unofficial India A vs England Lions series, where he impressed with a commanding double century and exuded confidence.
However, during this session, Nair appeared slightly under-confident in the nets. Starting off at the pacers’ net, he struggled against the pace and accuracy of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who bowled with intensity and control. Deliveries outside off stump caused him trouble, leading to several tentative defensive strokes.
He then moved to the spin nets, where he faced Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, along with a couple of local Yorkshire bowlers. Nair was dismissed a couple of times, including once clean bowled by Jadeja. In an attempt to break free, he tried a few uncharacteristic strokes — including reverse sweeps. Such strokes do not come naturally to a batter like Nair and one could clearly see that the shots were a result of the frustration building inside him.
The incident where Karun Nair got hit at the nets by a delivery from @prasidh43 @RohanDC98 #ENGvsIND #Headingley pic.twitter.com/xGMsiSF8PA
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) June 18, 2025
When he returned to the pace nets, it was Prasidh Krishna who presented another tough challenge. Krishna bowled a series of sharp bouncers, and one struck Nair just below the left ribs, leaving a visible red mark. He had to briefly receive medical attention. Despite the blow, Nair continued with purpose, shadow-practicing his strokes at the non-striker’s end and working intently on correcting his approach.
A brief discussion with batting coach Shitanshu Kotak followed, after which Nair worked on his stance, focused on playing straighter, and showed improved judgement in leaving deliveries. His confidence seemed to grow gradually. Still, overall, it was a testing session for Nair. Hopefully, just an off day. With one more day of practice left before the match, Thursday’s session will be crucial for him.
Another intriguing takeaway from the day was the all-round focus — even the bowlers had extended batting sessions. Krishna began at the spin nets, batting alongside Akash Deep, with Kuldeep Yadav and Jadeja bowling in tandem, supported by two local net bowlers. Later, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar joined the bowling attack.
🚨 Rishabh Pant PC “Shubman will bat at No. 4 and I’ll go in at No. 5” – Rishabh Pant confirms their batting order. https://t.co/nHq9DWpijv
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) June 18, 2025
Bumrah, who had an exceptional bowling session, also padded up and faced a few overs, as did Arshdeep Singh. The approach echoed sentiments recently shared by Ravichandran Ashwin in an interview with RevSportz, where he emphasised the importance of contributions from the lower order. This practice session seemed to validate that philosophy.
Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan, fresh off a successful IPL campaign personally, looked fluent and confident during his time in the nets. With competition heating up for a spot in the XI, Nair will need to make a strong impression in Thursday’s session to keep his case alive. It remains to be seen whether both Nair and Sudharsan make the XI, or if one makes way for the other.