Karun Nair reflects on Team India recall, gets special message from KL Rahul
London [UK], June 12 (ANI): Indian batter Karun Nair, who is making his return to the national side after eight years, opened up on his recall to the Team India and also received a special message from his ex-Karnataka teammate and close friend, KL Rahul, who will also a part of the Indian squad for England series along with him.
Nair could get his first Test appearance in eight years, as India aims for a smooth transition from seniors like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin during a five-match Test series against England away from home. Nair is the only second triple centurion in Indian cricket after legendary opener Virender Sehwag.
Nair's inclusion comes at a transitional phase on the back of a dream domestic season last year. The dream season for Vidarbha star concluded with the 863-run season in Ranji Trophy 2024-25, with an average of 53.93, four centuries and two fifties in 16 innings across nine matches. His best score of 135 came in the final and his team emerged victorious. During the warm-up unofficial Tests for India A against England Lions, he scored 259 runs in three innings, including a double ton.
A massive highlight of his season was the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament, where he top-scored with 779 runs in nine matches and eight innings at a stunning average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04, with five centuries and a fifty and best score of 163*.He played a massive role in his team's run to the finals, where they lost to his former team, Karnataka.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition, Nair made 255 runs in six innings, averaging 42.50 at a strike rate of 177.08, with three half-centuries and the best score of 77. His team was knocked out in the quarterfinals.
Nair had last played a Test for India in March 2017 against Australia and did not get any chances as his form tapered off after a triple ton against England at Chennai in 2016. He has played six Tests overall, having made 374 runs in seven innings.
Speaking about his return to the national set-up, Nair said in a video posted on Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) X handle, 'Feels very special, very grateful, very fortunate to be able to get this opportunity again. Really looking forward to grabbing this opportunity with both hands. I am sure there will be a lot of feelings, ones I cannot express right now. It will be a special feeling.'
KL said that he has known Nair for a long time and is well aware of his time in UK, grinding it out in county cricket.
'The months he spent here in UK playing cricket and how hard, how lonely it was and for him be able to do all of that and come back into the team is special for him, his family and friends like us who have seen his journey. It is really inspiring. We hope his experience and learning from county cricket here will hold him in good stead and he plays Test matches,' he added.
Nair represented Northamptonshire in County Championship in 2023 and 2024 seasons, scoring 736 runs in 10 matches and 14 innings at an average of 56.61, with two centuries and four fifties and best score of 202*.
The series will be held from June to August 2025, with matches scheduled at Headingley in Leeds, Edgbaston in Birmingham, Lord's and The Oval in London, and Old Trafford in Manchester.
India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
27 minutes ago
- Hans India
Gautam Gambhir Returns to India Amid Family Emergency; Coaching Staff Leads Team in Warm-Up Match
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has returned to New Delhi due to a family emergency, as his mother suffered a heart attack. She is currently recovering at Gangaram Hospital, and while her condition remains serious, doctors are hopeful for her early recovery. Gambhir left the team's training camp on Wednesday and may rejoin the Indian squad before the first Test against England, starting June 20 in Leeds, though his return date remains uncertain. In Gambhir's absence, assistant coaches Sitanshu Kotak and Ryan ten Doeschate, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel, are managing the Indian team during the ongoing intra-squad warm-up match against India A in Beckenham. The game, held behind closed doors until June 16, is helping both teams prepare for the upcoming Test series. Meanwhile, the team management is focused on key decisions regarding the batting order following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
India Today
29 minutes ago
- India Today
Team India pay tribute to Air India crash victims, Lord's observes minute of silence
The Indian team, who are playing an intra-squad game in Beckenham, also paid their tribute to the victims and wore black armbands before the match got underway. Air India Flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed near Ahmedabad's Megh Nagar area just minutes after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday aircraft was carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among them were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals. The likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma were among the sportspersons who mourned the tragedy on players and the support staff were seen observing a minute of silence and sported black armbands to remember the victims. "The players and members of support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands. A minute's silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with the affected families," read the statement from players and members of support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands.A minute's silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with BCCI (@BCCI) June 13, 2025advertisementLord's holds a mintute of silenceAustralia and South Africa players paid their respects to the victims of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad ahead of the start of Day 3 on Friday, June 13. Both sets of players are wearing black armbands in memory of the people who lost their lives in the plane crash that shocked the world on Friday. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc)The players and the crowd at the iconic Lord's cricket ground observed a one-minute silence to remember the victims before play got underway on Reel
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
32 minutes ago
- Business Standard
Lack of time with red ball ahead of ENG series is concerning: Morne Morkel
With less than a week to go for India's high-profile five-Test series against England, bowling coach Morne Morkel has admitted concerns over the squad's limited red-ball preparation. The series, which marks the start of India's new World Test Championship cycle, will also be Shubman Gill's first assignment as Test captain. India's last red-ball match came back in January during the Sydney Test against Australia, and many of the current squad members, including youngsters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, are set to experience English conditions in Test cricket for the first time. While the coaching staff has been encouraged by the intensity at training, Morkel emphasised the importance of maintaining consistency on and off the field in order to thrive in the demanding English environment. Consistency Key to Success in England Morkel, speaking from the sidelines of India's practice sessions, noted that consistency remains central to success in England. He stressed that players need to discover and stick to individual routines that work for them, whether on the field or during preparation. According to him, India's bowling unit has the advantage of variety, which can be effective if the basics are executed well. Limited Red-Ball Exposure a Worry The South African great admitted that the team's lack of recent red-ball cricket had made him 'a little nervous' before the camp began. However, he said the past few training days have eased some of those concerns. The energy and commitment shown by the players, especially in testing conditions, have been reassuring. Fast Bowlers Enjoy Early Practice Conditions Reflecting on the two days of practice so far, Morkel observed that the pitches had favoured seamers, offering plenty of assistance. While that presented a challenge for the batters, he believed it served as a good simulation for match situations. However, he does not expect the Test-match pitches to behave similarly throughout the series. Final Preparations Before Leeds Test India will play a four-day intra-squad match against India A starting Friday, which is likely to be their final tune-up before the opening Test in Leeds on June 20. Morkel urged his bowlers to show character even when conditions are flat, insisting that mental resilience will be just as crucial as skill in the long English summer.
