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Karun Nair was ignored from India’s squad for the 2018 Test against England at the Oval and hasn’t played for India since.
Karun Nair (AFP)
Karun Nair has recalled how he felt his life was coming ‘a full circle’ at the Oval balcony when he scored a century for Northamptonshire in the County Championship at the English ground in September 2023.
In 2018, the Vidarbha batter was ignored from India’s Test 11 for the fifth Test of a series against England at the same venue, and he has yet to play another international for India since.
“… When the opportunity came in 2023 just out of the blue, to go and play 3 matches for Northamptonshire, the last three games of the season, and that too against the best 3 teams of the County Championship Division 1, I just took that opportunity with both hands,” Nair told Hindustan Times in an interview.
“When I reached there in the first innings itself, I figured out how tough the going was. I just wanted to stay, learn how to play, and experience those conditions. That’s what happened, and to score a 100 at the Oval was life coming full circle for me to stand on that balcony. A few years ago, I stood in 2018 and thought, ‘What has just happened and then to go back there in 2023 and score a 100 after 5 years standing on the same balcony’. I think the feelings were, you know, overwhelming,” he added.
Nair scored his famous 303* in his debut series against England at home but followed it up with an underwhelming performance when Australia visited India, which had seen him get snubbed after three Tests.
The then Virat Kohli-led squad traveled to England soon after but picked Hardik Pandya for the first four Tests of the series instead of an extra batter in Nair. In the fifth, when India dropped Hardik, they chose Hanuma Vihari to play instead, and the Andhra batter went on to become a mainstay in the team for a while.
“Have always dreamed of playing for India again”: Karun Nair
Nair also added that he has continued to dream of playing for India, though he knows selection is not in his hands and he can only focus on his performances.
“Everyone hopes to be part of the Indian cricket team because it’s such an amazing setup. Everyone wants to play for their country. And so do I. I have always believed and dreamed of playing for my country again. I will keep doing whatever I can in every match to push for that case. But again, see, only scoring runs is in my hand, and everything else is not in my hand. So all I am looking forward to do is keep scoring in every game that I play,” Nair added.
