Karun Nair received India call-up after 8 years following which he expressed how he felt after getting to know about his selection. He mentioned that this was the moment he was waiting for and the 33-year old batter was grateful to be back. Karun Nair is popularly known for his triple century in Test cricket and was present in International setup since 2017.
Karun Nair had an exceptional domestic season that forced selectors to pick him, in the Ranji Trophy Karun Nair amassed 863 runs in 9 matches this also included four centuries. In Vijay Hazare Trophy he scored 779 runs in just 8 innings which also included five centuries. Karun Nair’s fantastic performance was the reason Vidarbha won their maiden Ranji Trophy title.
Karun Nair roaring form in domestic circuit to International cricket Journey
Karun Nair has been unstoppable in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 and has already scored five hundreds in the tournament this year. Karun Nair made his India debut in 2016, following consistent performances in the domestic circuit. The highlight of his short international career was the triple hundred in his third Test against England. In fact, it was his maiden international hundred.
The prolific batsman Karun Nair has emerged as the top run-scorer for his team, amassing an impressive 752 runs in seven matches at an astonishing average of 752.00, thanks to remaining unbeaten in six of those innings. Karun Nair’s remarkable tally includes five centuries and one half-century, with a highest score of 163 and a strike rate of 125.96.
Karun Nair stands on the brink of shattering an all-time record in the tournament. If he adds 79 more runs during the competition, he will surpass Tamil Nadu’s Narayan Jagadeesan record of 830 runs, which was achieved in eight matches at an average of 138.33, along with a strike rate exceeding 125 and five centuries, including a best score of 277, during the 2022/23 edition of the tournament.
His stellar performance in the trophy has drawn significant attention and admiration from the cricketing community, with many fans calling for his return to the Indian national team. Karun Nair last represented India in March 2017 and holds the distinction of being the only Test triple centurion for India after the legendary Virender Sehwag.
In six Tests since his debut in 2016, Karun Nair has accumulated 374 runs over seven innings, boasting an average of 62.33 and a top score of 303. He has also featured in two ODIs for India, scoring 46 runs with a best of 39. Following his impressive form Karun Nair has earned a rightful call to the England tour after seven year haitus.
At a press conference to announce the Test squad, chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited Karun Nair’s strong domestic performances and familiarity with English conditions as key reasons for his selection. Karun Nair represented Northamptonshire in County Championship in 2023 and 2024 seasons, scoring 736 runs in 10 matches and 14 innings at an average of 56.61, with two centuries and four fifties and best score of 202*.
Ahead of the England tour , Karun Nair featured in India A’s clash against England Lions in Canterbury and scored an impressive double century. The visitors were put on the back foot with the wickets of Abhimanyu Easwaran and Yashasvi Jaiswal but Karun Nair and Sarfaraz Khan played to their merit and stitched a partnership of 181 runs. After Sarfaraz departed for 92 runs, Karun Nair and Dhruv Jurel took over and put India in a comfortable position.
33-year-old Karun Nair brought up his double-century on the second day of India A’s first unofficial Test against the England Lions. Karun Nair has made the most of his return to the India A team and will now be looking to punish the English bowling attack even further as the play continues. Karun Nair on his comeback in the test arena after eight years expresses his gratitude and feels fortunate to be the part of the Indian cricket Test team.
Karun Nair feels very grateful and fortunate to be part of Indian test squad
Karun Nair’s return to India’s Test squad is truly an extraordinary tale. He is the only Indian, alongside Virender Sehwag, to have scored a triple century in Tests. At 33 years old, he was anticipated to be a refined talent in a country where cricket players are ubiquitous, found on every street and in every corner.
However, Karun Nair persevered, consistently delivering impressive performances at the domestic level, ultimately showcasing his usual form in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL). He kicked off his innings with a six off the very first ball while representing the Delhi Capitals.
Karun Nair has also rejoined the competitive scene after being chosen for India’s tour of England. In the initial unofficial Test match between India A and the England Lions, he scored 204 runs, proving to the world that he still possesses the ambition to excel in cricket, particularly in the red-ball format. KL Rahul seemed to be among the many Indian fans eager to see Karun Nair thrive in the upcoming India vs England Tests. Rahul played alongside Karun for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025.
In a video released by the BCCI on Thursday, Karun Nair expressed that it felt special to receive a second chance and is eager to seize it wholeheartedly. KL Rahul, Nair’s good friend and Karnataka team-mate, spoke of how his time in England at the time had been lonely and tough.
“I’ve known him for a very long time,” Rahul said.
“The months he has spent here in the UK playing cricket and how hard and how lonely it was. For him to be able to do all of that and come back into the Indian team is special for him and his family, and friends like us who’ve seen his journey.
“It’s very inspiring as well. Hopefully his experience and learnings from country cricket here will hold him in good stead when he plays the Test matches.”
Eight years on, as Karun Nair stands on the brink of a comeback, the reality of it still hasn’t completely sunk in as he exclaims
“Feels really special. Very grateful and very fortunate to be able to get this opportunity again and really looking forward and excited to grab this opportunity with both hands,” said Nair.
“Not sure actually! I think I’ll have to experience that feeling myself and, you know, just go out there and feel it for myself. And I’m sure there’ll be a lot of feelings, ones that I can’t express right now and It’ll be a special feeling.”
If it wasn’t just the BCCI clip, India’s final training session before the intra-squad match in Beckenham hinted at the possible batting line-up for the series against England. India did a bit of fielding practice on Thursday, with Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper, while the slip cordon featured Karun Nair at first slip, followed by KL Rahul, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, according to a report in RevSportz.
Nair is set for a return if the team goes by the slip cordon. Although his batting position is yet to be seen, with few experts reckoning he could replace Virat Kohli, who retired from Test cricket last month, at No. 4. The series will be held from June to August 2025, with matches scheduled at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord’s and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.
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