“Dear Cricket, give me another chance,” read a post on Karun Nair‘s X account (formerly Twitter) on December 10, 2022, as the India batter expressed his desperation to don the coveted Indian jersey once again. Fast forward to 2025, Karun Nair has deservedly earned his place back in the Indian team, having been picked in the squad for the England tour on the back of some stupendous performances in domestic cricket.
The 33-year-old further cemented his place in the playing XI by scoring a sensational double hundred in the tour game. With that, the stage looked set for the return of the prodigal son of Indian cricket, as he embarked on a new chapter of his international career.
Karun Nair got an opportunity to let his bat do the talking on Day 2 of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. However, much to his dismay, he was dismissed for a four-ball duck on his international return. The second innings was a bizarre outing for the right-hander, as he batted at a strike rate of 37, scoring 20 off 54 balls while India looked to extend their lead beyond 400.
The second Test followed a similar script. Karun Nair was dismissed for 31 in the first innings after a promising start, undone by a sharp bouncer from Brydon Carse. In the second innings, he once again fell to Carse-this time edging to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith after scoring 26.
Hence, the star batter once again failed to make the most of the opportunity and was subjected to widespread trolling on social media. As Karun Nair walks out to bat at Lord’s in the third Test, his career could well be on the line, with bright prospects like Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan warming the bench.
Karun Nair could easily have faced the axe in the second Test itself, as India needed to accommodate all-rounder Washington Sundar in the playing XI. However, the team management continued to back the Vidarbha batter, which meant that 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan had to make way for Sundar after failing in his debut Test.
Despite enjoying the backing of the team management, Karun Nair has failed to repay the trust, with questions about his place growing louder with every low score. As the third Test draws near, the time on Karun Nair’s second chance at international cricket could well be running out if he fails to deliver once again.
Having earned a second chance at international cricket, Karun Nair now finds himself at a crucial juncture after failing to convert his starts into big scores in the first two Tests. Another poor performance at Lord’s could very well spell the end of the road for the Vidarbha batter, especially with several talented youngsters waiting in the wings and Sanjay Manjrekar, former Indian batter now commentator has echoed the same sentiments amongst all the rising criticism.
Sanjay Manjrekar is a firm believer that Karun Nair is not ideal for No 3 position
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar said he did not align with the Indian team management’s thoughts around the batting order despite their comeback win against England at Edgbaston, levelling the series 1-1 ahead of Thursday’s third Test at Lord’s. After suffering a defeat in a grinding Headingley Test, India opted for a horde of changes, with 33-year-old Karun Nair moving up to the number three spot after playing at 6 in his comeback Test after eight years in Leeds.
Karun Nair replaced Sai Sudharsan, who was benched for the inclusion of his Tamil Nadu statemate and all-rounder, Washington Sundar, who took a lower-order spot at No. 8. Manjrekar, however, was not a fan of the move as he observed how the current management helmed by head coach Gautam Gambhir isn’t keen on a stable and consistent XI.
“There were some very interesting selections made in the last game, which I didn’t agree with. In the end, a win can put a cover on those decisions. I thought Sai Sudharsan, after just one match, to be left out considering he is a young player that we are looking at the future. He played pretty okay in the second innings. I’d like to stick with him but this team management is not afraid to chop and change depending on the vibe,” he said on ESPN Cricinfo.
On his Test debut, the left-handed Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for a duck in his first innings before returning 30 in his second essay. Meanwhile, the 33-year-old Karun Nair has struggled to make a strong impression thus far, scoring 0, 20, 31 and 26 in four innings.
“But I would like to see Sai Sudharsan at number three. Karun Nair is not a number-three player in my book. It is unfair to drop him after one Test if everyone is getting big hundreds. I think Sai deserves that opportunity as well,” Manjrekar added.
The Vidarbha batter was sweating runs in pursuit of his elusive dream and understands the foundation on which his career has been rebuilt. As he arrives at the most prestigious venue in the cricketing world at a crucial juncture in his career, Karun Nair finds himself with his back against the wall-another poor show could well mark the end of the road.
He’s all too familiar with the agony a player endures after being shown the door, and the steep climb required to return to the reckoning. Hence, the time has come for Nair to finally repay the faith shown by the team management and do justice to the hard yards he’s put in to once again wear the India badge on his shirt.
Lord’s has often been a venue that brings out the best in players, and now it’s up to Karun Nair to etch his name into the stadium’s folklore-by earning a spot on the honours board and helping India take the lead in the series.
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