Karun Nair's return to the Indian cricket team was filled with expectations, yet quickly turned disappointing. The BCCI announced the squad for the two-Test series against the West Indies on Thursday, but this time, Karun's name was absent. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar openly discussed the reasons behind this decision, clarifying that Karun did not live up to expectations during his given opportunities.
For nearly 3000 days, 33-year-old Karun Nair awaited his return to the Indian Test team. He was given the chance to play four out of five Tests on the England tour, but managed only 205 runs. His best score was a mere half-century. In terms of averages, he scored at a modest 25.62 and batted at numbers 3 and 6 for India. The selectors had high hopes for his return, but his continued failures have now questioned his career.
Agarkar's Frankness
In a press conference post team selection, Ajit Agarkar stated, 'To be honest, we expected a bit more from Karun. He played four Tests, and it's unfortunate that we can't give everyone 15-20 Tests to prove themselves. We felt that Devdutt Padikkal could be a better option for the team at this time.'
Agarkar also acknowledged that maintaining a position in the Indian team can be extremely challenging as each player receives limited opportunities. The selectors believe that keeping Karun as a backup for an extended period would not benefit the team.
Padikkal Earns Trust
In place of Karun, the selectors have shown confidence in Devdutt Padikkal. Padikkal has previously been a part of the Indian Test team and played in the Dharamshala Test against England. Additionally, he has consistently performed well for India A. Recently, Padikkal demonstrated his class by scoring a brilliant century in an unofficial Test against Australia A in Lucknow. The selectors believe that his recent form and technical maturity will benefit the team in the coming times.
Karun's Future Path?
Karun Nair's Test career now stands at a critical juncture. After scoring a triple century against England in 2016, he was considered the future of Indian cricket. However, his career has since been plagued with ups and downs. Now that the selectors have made it clear that current form and performance are priority, continuously scoring runs in domestic cricket remains the only way for Karun to earn a place back in Team India.
Indian Team for Windies Series
Shubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja (Vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N. Jagadeesan (Wicketkeeper), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Kuldeep Yadav.
