Karun Nair never deserved to be dropped from the India Test squad? Here's the update

Indian batter Karun Nair has voiced his frustration after being dropped from the national team and left out of the India-A squad despite strong domestic performances. The 33-year-old, who made a long-awaited return to India’s Test setup for the England tour earlier this year after nearly seven years, believes he was not given a fair run to prove his worth. Nair had earned his recall on the back of two outstanding Ranji Trophy seasons for Vidarbha, where he amassed 1,553 runs and played a key role in their title triumph. His selection for the 2025 Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England seemed a reward for his persistence and consistency.

However, he managed only 205 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.62, which led to his exclusion from the home Test series against the West Indies. The disappointment deepened when Nair found himself omitted from the India-A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against South Africa-A. Speaking after a commanding unbeaten 174 against Goa in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, he admitted that the decision had hurt him deeply, though he remains determined to keep performing and earning his way back into national contention.

“There are certain goals that I’ve set for myself, which I wouldn’t want to talk about. But other than that, the primary goal would be to win games for the team. It’s quite disappointing (being dropped), but I know that I deserve to be there after the last two years (of domestic cricket) I’ve had. People might have their own opinions, but personally, my opinion is that I deserve a lot better," stated Karun Nair during a recent interview. 

"There are certain individuals in the [Indian] team who have had good conversations with me about how they felt. That’s about it. It does get into the head. But the second thought would be to do your job, which is to score runs and let people have their opinions. Honestly, what target can I have next? All I want to do is to play for the country. If you’re not able to do that, the next thing would be to try and win games for the side you are playing for," he added.

Despite the recent disappointment, India batter Karun Nair remains optimistic about his future and is determined to let his performances speak for themselves. Having faced several ups and downs in his career, Nair understands that consistent performances in domestic cricket are his best pathway back to the national side. He believes that staying focused, working hard, and continuing to score heavily will eventually earn him another opportunity at the international level. The right-hander, who has shown remarkable resilience over the years, is channeling his frustration into motivation, determined to prove that he still has plenty to offer Indian cricket. Nair emphasized that while the setback has been difficult to accept, he is not losing hope and wants his bat to do all the talking, hoping that strong and impactful performances will help him regain his place in the national setup soon.