After years of perseverance and an extraordinary domestic season, 33-year-old Karnataka-born batter Karun Nair has returned to the Indian Test squad for the upcoming five-match Test series against England starting June 20.
If he plays, it will mark his first international appearance in over eight years — a gap that speaks volumes about his resilience and determination.
Nair, who last featured in a Test for India in March 2017 against Australia in Dharamsala, was once hailed as Indian cricket’s next big middle-order hope.
His name was etched into history in 2016 when he became only the second Indian batter after Virender Sehwag to score a triple century in Tests — an unbeaten 303 against England in Chennai.
But in a matter of months, he found himself out of favour, and by 2017, he was dropped from the national setup altogether.
Nair toiled in the domestic circuit over the next eight years. He refined his technique and waited for an opportunity.
That long wait has come to an end.
In 2022, he had posted a message on social media that read: “Dear cricket, please give me another chance.” That message went viral, resonating with fans and fellow cricketers alike.
Three years later, that plea has been answered — not by fate alone, but by the sheer hard work and consistency he’s put in since.
Nair had a phenomenal 2024/25 domestic season, scoring 863 runs in nine games at an average of 54 as he played a pivotal role in Vidarbha’s historic third Ranji Trophy title.
This came on the back of his debut season for Vidarbha in 2023-24, where he amassed 690 runs in 10 matches.
His red-hot form extended to the white-ball format too.
In the latest Vijay Hazare Trophy, Nair hammered 779 runs with five centuries, proving his versatility across formats.
His exposure to English conditions through a county stint with Northamptonshire has added further experience to his game.
Nair, who is already part of the India A setup, is expected to play a key role in the England tour, particularly in an evolving batting lineup.
His international statistics — 374 runs in six Tests at an average of 67, with one triple century that still stands out in India’s Test history.
He also made a notable return to the Indian Premier League for the Delhi Capitals this April, after a three-year hiatus.
On April 13, he scored 89 off just 40 balls— an innings laced with 12 boundaries and five sixes — although his efforts came in a losing cause against the Mumbai Indians.
Karun Nair’s story is a tale of a man who rose, fell, and has now risen again. Ahead of a tour without Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, Nair’s has got another chance to prove himself.