In Shivamogga, just a month prior, on September 25, when the Indian squad for the home Test series against West Indies was announced, Karun Nair found himself back at square one. Following two impressive domestic seasons that had rekindled his Test career, earning him a call-up for the England tour after a seven-year absence, his performance during that series yielded a modest 205 runs.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar commented that the selectors ‘expected a little bit more’ from Nair during the England tour. The disappointment continued for the 33-year-old when, following the West Indies series snub, he was also left out of the India ‘A’ squad for the upcoming two-match red-ball series against South Africa ‘A’ on home soil.
Nair’s return to the India squad was largely fueled by his remarkable form in the Ranji Trophy, where he amassed 1,553 runs for Vidarbha over the preceding two seasons. Despite the recent setbacks, the 33-year-old remains resolute. He has returned to his strength – accumulating runs. Following scores of 73 and 8 against Saurashtra in the season’s inaugural match, Nair then delivered an outstanding unbeaten 174 against Goa on Sunday in Rajkot. An image from the Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and Saurashtra shows Karun Nair playing a shot at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
A recent press conference by Ajit Agarkar also touched upon various player selections and omissions, including discussions around Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant’s injury, Jasprit Bumrah’s availability, and the rationale behind Karun Nair’s exclusion.
Reflecting on his innings against Goa, which, despite its brilliance, couldn’t be converted into a double century due to a lack of partners, Nair stated, “I have specific personal goals that I prefer to keep private. However, my main objective remains to secure victories for the team I represent.”
The seasoned middle-order batter openly expressed his dismay at being overlooked by the national selectors. “Being dropped is certainly disheartening,” he admitted, “but I firmly believe my performances over the past two years in domestic cricket warrant my inclusion. While opinions may vary, I personally feel I deserve significantly more opportunities.”
Although Nair refrained from directly commenting on the communication (or lack thereof) from the team management, he did share that “a few individuals within the team have engaged in positive conversations with me, sharing their thoughts, and that’s as much as I can say.”
Undeterred, Karun Nair is resolute in his commitment. “My only focus is to keep scoring runs; that’s my role,” he asserted. “There isn’t much else for me to say. I constantly remind myself that I deserved more than a series, and I strive not to let any negativity affect me. My sole ambition is to play for my country. If that isn’t immediately possible, then my immediate goal is to contribute to winning matches for my current team.”