Karun Nair scored a lot of runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy but he was not selected for the Champions Trophy.
This performance of Karun Nair came quite late in front of BCCI’s selection panel which monitors the selection of players for the Champions Trophy.
The selection panel is headed by Ajit Agarkar and captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir are with him in the selection meeting.
The panel has considered the three ODIs against England as a preparation series before the tournament played between several countries. Therefore, only those players have been included who will play in the Champions Trophy.
Right-handed batsman Karun Nair scored a record 779 runs in nine matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
He scored runs at an average of 389.5. Karun Nair scored five consecutive centuries one after the other.
His fifty runs played an important role in taking Vidarbha to the finals. However, Vidarbha lost to Karnataka.
Why did Karun Nair not get a chance?
After this brilliant performance, Sachin Tendulkar praised Karun Nair immensely.
In a tweet before the final, he wrote, “752 runs in seven innings with five centuries is nothing short of extraordinary Karun. Such performances do not happen by chance. Such winnings are the result of tremendous focus and hard work. Keep performing like this and take advantage of every opportunity.”
Only three ODIs are to be played before the Champions Trophy. Therefore, it will always be risky to try Karun Nair and not give a chance to prepare to those regular players who have barely played ODI cricket after the World Cup 2023. He reached the final in 2023.
Selection panel chief Ajit Agar admits this dilemma.
He says, “It is very difficult to ignore a batsman who has scored at an average of more than 700 runs (Nair’s average was 752 before the final). His performance has been very good. We have talked. It is very difficult for him to get a place in the team at this time. The average age of the players currently included in the team is between 30 and 35. “
Agarkar said, “You take notice of such performances. If a player gets injured or someone’s form is bad, then Nair can be talked about.”
Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar said that there is no place for Nair in the team.
He said on a TV channel, “Where will they (the selection team) keep Karun Nair? He can be replaced by KL Rahul or Shreyas. But Rahul will play the role of second wicketkeeper-batsman. His performance was good in the 2023 World Cup. I don’t think the Indian team has played many ODIs after this. Iyer has performed well in this format as well. This is the reason why Nair could not be selected.”
Did age come in the way?
Nair is 33 years old and perhaps this is what went against him. There can’t be too many players in the team who are 30 years old or above. Rohit Sharma is 37 years old and Virat Kohli is 36 years old.
Former Indian wicketkeeper Surinder Khanna said that it is Nair’s misfortune that he does not have the blessings of those who are currently selecting the team and are the architects of Indian cricket.
Khanna said. ”It is Karun Nair’s misfortune. You cannot have too many slow movers in the team in ODIs. Captain Rohit Sharma is 37 years old. Kohli is 36 years old. Mohammed Shami is 34 years old and is making a comeback. He is a bowler and is returning after recovering from injury. What guarantee do the selectors have that Shami will be able to play continuously.”
He says, ”Nair is 33 years old and bats. Those who score runs at an average of 389.5 in the country’s premier one-day tournament should have the right to play for the team. The people who refused to give him a chance in 2016-17 are still in the selection team and the same people are running Indian cricket.”
What does Nair say
However, Nair seems unconcerned about these things about himself. He wants to score more and more runs.
If he keeps scoring runs in the upcoming Ranji Trophy, then it will be difficult for the selectors to ignore him when they sit to select players for the England tour after the IPL.
Nair told in an exclusive interview, ” At this time I am not thinking about any result. I focus on whatever match comes in front of me. I am paying full attention to how to perform better. My entire focus is on scoring as many runs as possible.”
Nair played county cricket in England last year. His performance can get him a chance in the five-Test series to be held in England.
Karun Nair is currently in Jaipur to play a Ranji Trophy match against Rajasthan.
He said, ”I have been batting well for the last 12-16 months. My phase of good batting started from the county season last year. From there I tried to keep things simple. Think about one game at a time and then decide how to perform for the team whenever you get a chance.”
He said, ”Actually, the important thing is to maintain this form and take it forward. So it should be ensured that we lead from the front and win matches consistently.”
How was Nair’s start
Nair had a great start in 2016. At that time he scored a triple century against England. That was only his third Test match.
But after playing two ODIs and six Tests (Nair played his last Test match in early 2017), Nair was pushed from the Indian cricket team to domestic cricket. After this, he first played for his home state Karnataka and then now for the last two seasons, he has been playing for Vidarbha.
His performance in the Ranji Trophy was not extraordinary. In the Ranji matches before January 2023, he scored only 289 runs at an average of 48.17 runs.
But this performance will strengthen his claim. If he continues to score big in the remaining two league matches and wins matches with a brilliant performance, then there can be a discussion about giving him a place in the Indian team.
It is because of Nair’s performance that his team is at the top of Group B.
Nair is not so worried about his age. He doesn’t seem to be worried about how he lost the opportunity to play for India.
He says, “Everyone constantly tries to do the best possible thing. My focus is only on performing well. I am constantly trying to improve my cricket. I am constantly trying to improve my batting, fitness, and personality off the field.”
Nayar says, “I would say age is just a number. If everything is taken care of and you take proper care of yourself, then I think age is just a number. The fitness part has to be taken care of by the player himself.”
