"I don't think it is an area of concern": Sitanshu Kotak on India's No.3 batter run drought in Anderson-Tendulkar series

Manchester [UK], July 27 (ANI): India's batting coach, Sitanshu Kotak, spoke about the performance of the number 3 batter in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar series against England. He felt that Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan had started well but hadn't converted their starts into significant scores.
Despite these, he doesn't see it as a major concern, highlighting Sai's good batting in the first inning of the fourth Test at Manchester as a positive aspect. India went with Sai at No.3 in the series opener, but he made zero in the first innings and 30 in the second.
He was dropped from the side, and Karun was promoted up the order. However, in three Tests, Nair has mustered only 131 runs at an average of 21.83.
While speaking to the media, Kotak said, "I don't think it has been a problem to be very honest. Yes, after Karun also got a few starts and got out. And then Sai also in the first game scored 30 in the second inning and got out. But I don't think it is an area of concern, to be very honest. And the way Sai batted in the first inning was very good."
Sai, making a comeback into the playing 11 for the fourth test, he made a vital fifty in the first innings but was dismissed by Chris Woakes for a golden duck in the second innings.
He also spoke about Nair being dropped from the playing 11 in the fourth Test and Sai replacing him, he said in the 4th test match, there can be pressure built on Nair So if made the change and it does not mean that the team management is not backing him.
"The way he has batted, he has not played badly. He has got a good start every time. Sometimes, if the team management feels that at this stage, maybe in the 4th test match, there can be pressure built on him. So if we can change it, we can do it. It does not mean that the team management is not backing him," he added.
India finished Day 4 on 174/2 and are now 137 runs behind England. If the Indian team is able to salvage the match on the fifth and final day on Sunday, it will be an achievement in itself.
England went wicketless in the final session as Indian batters added 126 runs to their tally, with KL Rahul 87* and Shubman Gill 78* unbeaten on the crease.
Brief Scores: India 358 & 174/2 (KL Rahul 87*, Shubman Gill 78*; Chris Woakes 2/48) vs England 669 (Joe Root 150, Ben Stokes 141, Ravindra Jadeja 4/143). (ANI)