Karun Nair has broken his silence following his omission from the Indian Test squad for the home series against the West Indies, expressing his disappointment and disagreement with the assessment of chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Nair, who made a comeback to the Test side during the tour of England after a seven-year absence, feels he deserved more opportunities to prove his worth.
The 33-year-old right-handed batter's return to the Test arena was on the back of impressive performances in domestic cricket, where he amassed 1,553 runs in the Ranji Trophy over the previous two seasons playing for Vidarbha. However, his performance in England was considered modest, scoring 205 runs in four Tests, with just one half-century.
Agarkar, while announcing the squad for the West Indies series, stated that the selectors "expected a little bit more" from Nair and that one half-century wasn't sufficient to warrant continued selection. He also indicated that Devdutt Padikkal was being considered as a player who "offers a little more at this point".
Nair, in response, has made his displeasure known. Speaking to the Times of India, Nair stated, "I just keep telling myself that I deserve more than a series". He further added, "All I can do is keep scoring runs, that's my job... All I want to do is to play for the country. That's the only target. If you're not able to do that, the next thing would be to try and win games for the side I'm playing for".
Nair's Test career is unique. He is only the second Indian after Virender Sehwag to score a triple century in Test cricket. He achieved this feat on December 19, 2016, against England, scoring an unbeaten 303. He also became the first Indian to convert his maiden Test century into a triple ton. Despite this remarkable achievement, his Test career has been sporadic, with only 10 matches played since his debut in 2016. He has scored 579 runs at an average of 41.35, including one century and one half-century.
Following his exclusion from the Test squad, Nair has returned to domestic cricket, aiming to prove his critics wrong. In a recent Ranji Trophy match for Karnataka against Goa, he scored an unbeaten 174, sending a strong message to the selectors. Walking in with the score at 26/2, Nair stabilised the innings, demonstrating his resilience and determination.
Nair's omission has sparked debate among cricket fans and experts, with many questioning the consistency of selection policies. While Agarkar stated that the team would like to give 15-20 chances to every player, he admitted that it is not always possible.
Nair remains determined to continue scoring runs and winning games for his team. He has set personal goals and is focused on performing well in domestic cricket. Despite the setback, Nair's ambition to represent India remains strong.
