Key Points

With the five-match Test series in England starting next month and a massive void left at the No. 4 position -- occupied for over three decades by Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar before him -- Kumble believes Nair could be the right man to step in.

India is entering uncharted territory. For the first time since 1989, when Sachin Tendulkar made his debut, India will tour England for a Test series without Tendulkar or Kohli in the ranks. Rohit Sharma's retirement compounds the middle-order crisis, leaving the team to figure out a new batting blueprint that may have to rely more on form than reputation.

"There has been no proper conversation around who's going to bat at No. 4," Kumble said on ESPNCricinfo. "When Rohit didn't play in Australia, there was some reshuffling. KL Rahul grabbed the opportunity. But post that, the middle-order seems uncertain. And No. 4 is the most critical batting slot in England."

Kumble believes the answer may lie in a name long forgotten in Indian Test cricket -- Karun Nair. The 33-year-old, who last played a Test in 2017, famously scored a triple century against England in Chennai but curiously fell out of favour soon after.

"Karun deserves to come back into the Indian team with the kind of domestic run he's had," Kumble said. "You need someone with experience in English conditions. He has played County cricket, he's been there before. He may be on the other side of 30, but he's still young in cricketing terms."

The Karnataka-born batter, now representing Vidarbha in domestic cricket, has put together a dream season. In the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he piled up 779 runs in eight innings, including five centuries--four of them back-to-back-as he almost single-handedly took Vidarbha to the final. But Nair wasn't done. He followed up with a stunning Ranji Trophy campaign, scoring 863 runs in nine matches, including a crucial century and a fifty in the final against Kerala to guide Vidarbha to the title.

Nair's return, if it happens, would mark one of Indian cricket's most compelling redemption arcs. Despite an average of 62.33 in six Tests and a historic triple hundred, Nair was sidelined, never truly receiving an extended run. He was part of the 2018 England tour squad but never got a game.

"If sheer performance in domestic cricket doesn't get recognised, it becomes a bit of a challenge," Kumble remarked, emphasising that Nair's inclusion would send the right message to domestic players grinding it out year after year. "If he gets an opportunity, there will be a lot more hope for youngsters to play first-class cricket."

- IANS