Karun Nair expressed his disappointment after being omitted from India’s Test squad for the West Indies tour. The Karnataka batter Karun Nair , who returned to the Test squad after eight years during the England series, struggled for consistency in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Karun Nair waited eight years to make a comeback into the Indian cricket team. However, when it finally happened for India’s second triple centurion, his performance was not great. Karun Nair, who returned to the Test side earlier this year, managed 205 runs in four matches against England, including a fifty, at an average of 25.62.
Karun Nair’s last appearance came in the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, where he scored a fighting half-century, which India won by just 6 runs. Now, he does not find himself in the 15-member squad for the West Indies series.
Karun Nair – A curious case in Indian cricket
Karun Nair has been left out of the India A squad for the two-match unofficial Test series against Australia A in Lucknow. Karun Nair’s snub from the India A squad was a clear hint that the 33-year-old’s international career is all but over.The Karnataka batter Karun Nair , who had cracked a sensational triple century against England in 2016, had made a comeback earlier this year for the England tour after nearly nine years. Karun Nair was selected for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy but failed to make a significant impact in England.
Karun Nair could manage only one fifty across six innings in his comeback Test series, which sealed his fate with the Indian cricket team. There is a high chance that he might not get another chance to sport whites for the country. With India looking to rebuild its Test squad ahead of the home season, many expected the Karnataka batter to be a key part of the plan.
But the Indian selectors have decided to move on from Karun Nair, bringing in fresh faces and emerging talent instead for the two four-day matches against Australia A. Even the Indian selectors have not made any comment on why Nair was not picked in the India A squad or mentioned anything about his injury recovery.
Notably, Karun Nair suffered a finger injury at The Oval, which also kept him out of the Maharaja T20 League. But whether this played a role in the decision remains unclear. No official statement has been made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
This snub has fuelled speculation that the national selectors have quietly dropped him from the team. It is being said that this is the end of his international career, and the England tour was his last series. Nair is unlikely to be picked for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies at home.
Notably, Karun Nair has played 10 Tests and 2 ODIs for India, scoring 579 and 46 runs, respectively. However, he has been a giant in domestic cricket with over 8600 first-class runs, 3128 List-A runs, and 3660 runs in T20 cricket so far.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) left quite a few in the Indian cricketing spectrum surprised by naming Shreyas Iyer the captain of the India A side for the Australia A series. After Iyer’s snub for India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad triggered a huge controversy, the selection committee seems to be creating a path for the middle-order batter to become a more important player for the national team. However, Iyer’s elevation to the India A squad also raises questions over the spot of Karun Nair in the Test side.
Karun Nair was dropped as India announced the 15-member squad for the two-match Test series against the West Indies. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar indirectly also shut the door of the Test team on him, stating that the management expected more from Nair and that Devdutt Padikkal offers more than him at the moment. The cricketer has now reacted to being dropped from the team while clearly expressing his disappointment at the snub.
Karun Nair expresses his disappointment over his exclusion for the 2 Tests vs West Indies at home
India batter Karun Nair has been left out of the national Test squad for the upcoming series against the West Indies, a decision explained by BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Nair, who recently returned to the Test setup after a gap of more than 3,000 days, featured in four of the five Tests against England but scored just 205 runs, with a solitary fifty. Agarkar stated that the selectors had expected a stronger contribution from Nair and saw greater value in the form shown by Devdutt Padikkal.
The selection decision, announced on 25 September, effectively ends any immediate hopes for Karun Nair to add to his Test caps .Karun Nair’s stint in the England series saw him bat at No. 3 and No. 6, finishing with an average of 25.62. Despite his fifty in the final Test, selectors preferred Padikkal, who recently impressed with a century in an unofficial Test for India A against Australia A. Ajit Agarkar reiterated that Padikkal has been part of the Test squad and shown consistent form with India A.
Veteran batter Karun Nair expressed his disappointment at being dropped from the Indian squad for the upcoming Test series at home against the West Indies. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced the 15-member roster for the two-match series on Thursday, September 25. Karun Nair made a stunning comeback into the Indian Test side for the recent tour of England after an eight-year absence since 2017. However, he failed to convert several starts in the first three Tests in the UK, resulting in his dropping for the fourth Test.
Yet, the Karnataka batter returned to the 11 for the series finale at the Oval and top-scored for the visitors with a crucial 57 in the first innings. While he scored only 17 in the second innings, India pulled off a memorable six-run win to level the five-match series 2-2.
Hours after being excluded from the Test squad for the West Indies, Nair told TOI:
“You should probably ask the selectors on what they’re thinking. Only thing is, in the last Test match also, I got a 50 when no one else scored in the first inning. So, yeah, I thought I contributed to the team and especially in the last game that we won. But yeah, it is what it is. Those things don’t matter.”
He continued:
“Yes, I did expect the selection. I don’t know what to say. No words. I don’t have any much comments to make. It’s very difficult for me to answer.”
Despite his half-century in the final Test, Karun Nair endured a largely underwhelming series in England, averaging 25.62 in four games.
Karun Nair further stated his commitment to playing in the Ranji Trophy after his exclusion from the national side. The 33-year-old scored runs for fun during the last Indian domestic season across formats to come back into the Test side. However, with the Test side in transition under new captain Shubman Gill, Nair, at 33, might struggle to make another comeback.
“There’s nothing much I can say. There’s nothing much that I can do to change anything. So, yeah, I just have to keep going. At least from my point of view, not from others’ point of view. In my head, I’m very clear. I did my best they have made the decision and you have to respect that. Now I’m just going to play Ranji Trophy,” Nair said
Karun Nair is one of only two Indians to score a triple century in Test cricket, achieving the feat in only the third Test of his career in Chennai in 2016. He has played 10 red-ball games for India, averaging 41.35 with a century and a half-century.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, explaining the decision to move on from Nair, said:
“Frankly, we expected a little more from Karun. He played four Tests, and you spoke about one innings. That’s the way it is. We feel Padikkal offers a little more at this point. Wish we could give everyone 15-20 Tests.”
Ajit Agarkar emphasised that opportunities at the international level are limited and that performance remains the decisive factor. The selection panel’s strategy was to inject fresh talent and form into the squad, with Padikkal’s consistent domestic and A-team performances weighing heavily in his favour. The selectors also highlighted the challenge of balancing opportunities within a competitive squad, particularly as the team prepares for a home Test for the first time since the shocking 0-3 defeat to New Zealand last year.
Sai Sudharsan, who also struggled for consistency in the England series, has been retained, with Agarkar confirming that the Tamil Nadu batter will be backed for the No. 3 role.
The senior selection committee also left out Abhimanyu Easwaran, another domestic stalwart, who has been waiting for his maiden Test cap despite travelling with the Test team to Australia and England earlier this year. There was similarly no place for Mohammed Shami, as the senior pacer continues to be out of the Test setup since the 2023 World Test Championship final.
India Squad for West Indies Tests:
Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N. Jagadeesan (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav
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