Rising to 303, Falling from the Squad: The Tale of Karun Nair

(Karun Nair celebrating his triple century against England)

Karun Nair's time in Test cricket with the Indian team has been a rollercoaster, starting from the bottom, reaching the top, and then dipping back down. His journey is like a complete cycle, showcasing the ups and downs that come with a short yet eventful career in the sport. Even after hitting a stellar triple-century in his test career and becoming the second Indian batsman to achieve this record, Karun Nair was dropped from the test team. This story looks into how team decisions and selection processes can be tricky, revealing the challenges players face even after achieving big things. As we dig into the details, it's clear that Nair's removal goes beyond just his performance on the field, suggesting a more complicated decision-making process.

Karun Nair made his Test Debut for India

Karun Nair, born and raised in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, started playing cricket at a young age. Growing up in the vibrant city, he honed his skills in local matches and on dusty playgrounds. After doing well in the domestic circuit, he debuted his International test on 26th November 2016 against England at the Mohali stadium. However, his first innings wasn’t one to remember as he got run out on just 4 runs. Even in the next test match, he scored just 13 runs and the time was running out for the youngster to showcase his talent.

In the 5th test that was at Chennai, Karun Nair finally stepped up and had an amazing partnership with KL Rahul and Murali Vijay to record his maiden test century. However, the youngster did not stop there and went on to convert the century to a double-century in just 306 balls and hence punishing the England bowlers. With India’s score at 600/6, the captain Virat Kohli decided to give some more time to Karun Nair and made him attack each and every ball. And guess what, Karun Nair finally reached his maiden triple-century in just 381 balls and India finally declared the innings at 759/7 in 190.4 overs.

India vs England, 5th Test at Chennai
England	India
477 (157.2 overs)	759/7d (190.4 overs)
Moeen Ali 146 (262)	Karun Nair 303* (381)
Ravindra Jadeja 3/106 (45 overs)	Stuart Broad 2/80 (27 overs)
207 (88 overs)
Keaton Jennings 54 (121)
Ravindra Jadeja 7/48 (25 overs)
India won by an innings and 75 runs

India won the match by an innings and 75 runs and it was Karun Nair who received the Man of the Match award for his brilliant triple-century. He became an overnight star, so everyone was looking forward to seeing him achieve more. In celebration of his incredible score of 303, Karun Nair's red Mustang sports a unique license plate - "KA 03 NA 303." This special number not only includes his initials "NA" but also highlights the impressive score that made history. It's not just a regular license plate; it's a special touch that turns the Mustang into a moving tribute to Nair's outstanding cricket achievement.

Karun Nair’s dip in form

After making it to the new headlines in 2016, everyone was looking forward to seeing how Karun Nair will play in the upcoming matches for India, and the one-test match series against Bangladesh was the perfect stage for him to showcase his performance. But the return of Ajinkya Rahane meant that Karun Nair had to sit out. This meant that Karun Nair had to wait for the series against Australia to continue his test career. And in the first match against Australia too, he wasn’t named in the playing XI. The Indian pitches have always favoured spinners and hence Jayant Yadav was selected over him.

However, for the 2nd test, he was named back in the squad and a lot was expected from him after India was 1-0 down in the series. But the scores of 26 and a duck in the 2nd innings left the fans devastated. The delivery that sent Karun Nair back to the pavilion without scoring was a masterclass from Mitchell Starc. The sheer brilliance of the delivery was evident as it crashed into the stumps, shattering all three spectacularly. Even in the 3rd test match, Karun Nair scored just 23 runs and was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood. The last test match that Karun Nair played was the 4th test match against Australia in Dharamsala where he scored just 5 runs in 16 balls and hence it marked the end of a disappointing tour for him.

(Karun Nair after being dismissed by Mitchell Starc in 2nd Test match)

After his historic triple century, Karun Nair faced four consecutive failures, leading to his exclusion from the team. With fierce competition for spots, each inning held immense significance. Unfortunately, Nair's inability to deliver in four chances proved costly, highlighting the unforgiving nature of cricket's competitive arena and resulting in his temporary absence from the playing XI.

Getting back to the Domestic circuit

After having a poor run in the International matches, Karun Nair moved to the domestic circuit from the Karnataka team to improve his form and prepare for the upcoming series against Afghanistan and the tour of England. Being a youngster, it was a big challenge for him as the England tour wasn’t going to be easy and hence he started preparing accordingly. The 2017/18 Ranji Trophy season proved to be his best season and hence the selectors started noticing him again. In just 7 matches played, he went on to score 612 runs and with 3 centuries to his name, he made sure that he had his spot fixed in the Indian lineup for the upcoming matches. Furthermore, the 153 runs innings against Vidarbha on a pitch that wasn’t easy for batting, the fans felt that he has got back his form and hence will prove to be a crucial asset for the team in the overseas tour.

Karun Nair's stats in the 2017/18 domestic season
Trophy Name	Matches	Runs	Average	Strike Rate	Hundreds	Fifties
Ranji Trophy	7	612	68	51.68	3	1
Vijay Hazare Trophy	8	279	39.85	82.05	1	2
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy	9	379	42.11	173.85	1	4

Karun Nair's Unsuccessful Comeback Journey

Despite a successful home season, Karun Nair faced challenges getting into the playing XI for the Afghanistan and England series. Even with Virat Kohli resting, the youngster struggled to secure a spot. The situation raised questions about selection dynamics and opportunities for emerging talents in the Indian team. The evolution of Hardik Pandya and his being an all-rounder gave him the advantage over Karun Nair and hence Karun Nair got his eyes on the England series after failing to make it to the playing XI against Afghanistan.

During India's tour of England for the 5-test series, all eyes were on Karun Nair, eager to witness his performance on foreign soil and against his favoured opponent. But again, the team and management decided that Hardik Pandya is the perfect choice and over Karun Nair, Hanuma Vihari has the temperament to bat in the English conditions. Karun Nair found it tough to accept spending six weeks on an away tour without getting a chance to play. Watching from the sidelines was challenging, and questions arose. Why, despite being in the squad from the start, didn't he get a game?

(Karun Nair disappointed after being dismissed in a test match)

After coming back from England, India was scheduled to play a 2 match test series against West Indies and it was finally the end of Karun Nair’s career as he was dropped for the series while Hanuma Vihari retained his spot. MSK Prasad, the selector chief, noted the challenge of having a large squad at home. Vihari surpassed Karun Nair in the batting order, leaving Nair on the sidelines. Although later named captain for Ind-A tours, Nair struggled to score runs, making a comeback seem tougher. His journey was marked by setbacks, aiming to regain a spot in the playing XI.

Karun Nair's Battle with Poor Form

Getting dropped from the team without any proper explanation was the lowest point in the career of Karun Nair. For him, the only way to get back into the squad was by performing well in the domestic arena and hence the upcoming Ranji Trophy was the perfect chance for him. But he failed to grab the chances well and his disappointing performances continued. Even in the Indian Premier League, While playing for Punjab Kings, he managed just 301 runs from the 13 innings and averaged 25.08 with the bat along with a strike rate of just 136.19.

The Ranji Trophy season of 2018/19 saw him getting just 224 runs in the 10 innings played and with an average of 24.88, he was hardly going to be considered for a recall in the test team. During a challenging period, Karun Nair often seemed lost on the field. If not for his captaincy, the Karnataka side might have considered letting him go. Adding to his troubles, his performance in white-ball cricket was underwhelming. Poor outings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, along with lacklustre IPL seasons, contributed to a dip in his cricketing image.

What’s next for Karun Nair?

Karun Nair is currently 32 years old and is consistently playing domestic cricket along with the IPL and can still knock off the doors of the Indian Cricket team. Karun Nair had a short international stint, featuring in just six Test matches and two ODIs for India. His journey is a clear illustration of quick changes, going from success to struggles within a short span. Starting strong in Test cricket, Nair soon faced challenges, highlighting the unpredictable nature of a cricketer's career. His story reflects the ups and downs players navigate in the dynamic world of professional cricket.

(Karun Nair celebrating his century in County Championship for Northamptonshire)

But that’s not all over for Karun Nair. With youth and a solid technique, a comeback is possible. A second innings in international cricket could happen if he makes the needed changes. For the upcoming County Championship season, he has signed with Northamptonshire and hence will be hoping to regain his form along with a place in the Indian test team. Let's hope this triple centurion doesn't fade away.