India vs West Indies: End of the story for Karun Nair?
Karun Nair made his return to international cricket after an eight-year hiatus during the prestigious Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, held between India and England. Once considered one of India’s brightest batting prospects, Nair was brought back into the Test squad in hopes of reigniting his red-ball career. He featured in four out of the five Tests in the series, but his comeback was far from memorable. Scoring just 205 runs at an average of 25.62, Nair struggled to make a lasting impression.
India vs West Indies: Have India moved on from Karun Nair in Test cricket?
The right-handed batter was experimented with in different positions in the batting order, but he couldn’t convert his starts into substantial scores. Despite the underwhelming numbers, Nair did manage to contribute in the fifth and final Test at the Kennington Oval, where he scored a hard-fought half-century in the first innings. His knock came in a closely contested match, which India won by a narrow margin of six runs. That thrilling victory allowed the visitors to level the series 2-2 and avoid a series defeat on English soil.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, has announced India’s squad for the upcoming two-match home Test series against the West Indies. As the team prepares for a fresh WTC cycle and a crucial phase of transition, several selection calls drew attention — including the omission of Karun Nair. The Karnataka batter, who made an international comeback during the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England, was one of the more notable absentees from the squad.
Nair had returned to Karnataka in domestic cricket after spending two seasons with Vidarbha, and his recent performances were being closely watched. However, his form during the England tour, where he played four Tests and scored 205 runs at an average of 25.62, seemingly did not meet the expectations of the selectors. While he did register a half-century in the final Test at the Kennington Oval, the overall output left the selectors unconvinced.
"Yes, I did expect the selection. I don't know what to say. No words. I don't have many comments to make. It's very difficult for me to answer," stated Karun Nair.
"You should probably ask the selectors what they are thinking. The only thing is, in the last Test match, I scored a fifty when no one else managed in the first innings. So, yeah, I thought I contributed to the team, especially in the last game that we won. But, yeah, it is what it is. Those things don't matter," he added.
The highly anticipated two-match Test series between India and the West Indies is all set to begin in early October, marking the start of a fresh chapter in India’s World Test Championship (WTC) campaign. The first Test will take place at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, starting on October 2. Known for its world-class facilities and massive capacity, the venue is expected to draw a huge crowd as fans eagerly await the return of red-ball cricket to Indian soil.
Following the opening match in Ahmedabad, the series will move to the national capital for the second and final Test. Scheduled to be held from October 10 to October 14, the second Test will be hosted at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. With its rich history and passionate fan base, the Delhi venue promises an electric atmosphere for what could be a decisive contest in the series. This short but significant series is part of India’s preparation for future overseas tours and also provides an opportunity to test new players in home conditions. For the West Indies, the series serves as a crucial test of their red-ball credentials against one of the strongest home sides in world cricket.
IND vs WI: India Test squad
Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja (VC), Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, N. Jagadeesan (WK), Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav.
