Karun Nair's Return to Glory Falls Short: What's Next for the Cricketer?
Karun Nair, the talented Indian batsman, has found himself on the sidelines once again due to a finger injury sustained during the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England earlier this year. Despite a recent comeback to the Indian Test team after more than seven years, his form has been mixed, with only one half-century scored in difficult conditions.
Nair's injury, a minor fracture to his finger, denied him fitness clearance by the BCCI Centre of Excellence to participate in the 2025 KSCA Maharaja T20 Trophy. He had traveled to Mysore to play but was sent back to Bengaluru to continue rehabilitation under the BCCI medical team's supervision.
The injury and subsequent fitness issues represent a setback after his challenging but promising comeback from a seven-year absence in Test cricket. His return to international and domestic cricket depends entirely on when he receives full medical clearance.
In the previous season, Nair scored 690 runs at an average of 41, with two centuries. Aside from his Test triple, he has another first-class 300 and two double hundreds, the last of which came in June. However, in the series against England, his average was the second-worst among top-six batters who played more than once, with an average of 25.62.
In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Nair finished with an average of 390, hitting five centuries in nine innings. His domestic success continued in the 2024/25 Ranji Trophy, where he was the fourth-highest run-scorer, averaging 54 and scoring four centuries.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja have secured their spots in the team. Shubman Gill has taken the position of four, while Sai Sudharsan is being given a long rope for the number three position. Sarfaraz Khan has done well with the chances given so far, and Shreyas Iyer might be brought back into the Test mix.
On his day, Nair times the ball as well as anyone, with cover drives that sound like a shot out of a gun. He has a good understanding of English conditions, having played two seasons of the County Championship. However, a recent injury in his final innings might keep him sidelined for a brief while.
Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar are both capped in Tests but are trailing in the race due to injury. Abhimanyu Easwaran spent a whole tour waiting for his chance.
Nair's missed opportunity to put up a standout score in the Test series against England is a disappointment, especially considering he scored a double-century for India A against England Lions at the beginning of the tour. The series saw a record-breaking 21 centuries, but Karun passed fifty only once in seven attempts.
At 33 years old, Nair's injury-plagued career has been a rollercoaster ride. His ongoing rehabilitation delays his immediate return to both domestic and international cricket. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery and a strong comeback for this talented batsman.
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