Karun Nair’s return to the Indian Test side earlier this year was supposed to be a comeback story. After more than eight years away from the longest format, he played in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. However, the series didn’t go as he had hoped. In four matches, Karun managed just one fifty in eight innings, failing to make a strong mark. His below-par performance led to his exclusion from the squad for the two-match home series against the West Indies earlier this month. Soon after, he was also left out of the India A team for their upcoming four-day matches against South Africa A.
The decision to drop Karun Nair after just one Test series surprised many cricket fans and former players. Among those questioning the move is Ajinkya Rahane, who himself has seen the highs and lows of selection. Rahane, who captained India to a memorable Test series win in Australia in 2020–21, felt that Karun deserved one more opportunity to prove himself. He pointed out that Karun had performed consistently in domestic cricket before earning his recall and said that players like him should not be written off so quickly.
Ajinkya Rahane also mentioned Abhimanyu Easwaran, another consistent performer in the domestic circuit, who is yet to make his Test debut despite strong performances. He expressed confidence that Abhimanyu Easwaran’s chance would come soon, emphasising the importance of giving deserving players their due based on form and consistency.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who featured in the same discussion, echoed similar sentiments. He stressed that selections for the national Test team should be based purely on domestic performances. Pujara explained that when players are rewarded for doing well at the domestic level, it motivates them to keep performing and strengthens India’s overall cricket structure.
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Both Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara’s comments highlight a growing belief within Indian cricket that consistent domestic performers like Karun Nair and Abhimanyu Easwaran deserve more faith from the selectors.
For players like Karun, who have worked their way back after years on the sidelines, such support from senior pros is a reminder that every good performance still counts, even if the results don’t always come immediately.
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