Has Karun Nair Targeted BCCI Selectors With His Recent Tweet?
Karun Nair has once again posted a cryptic tweet on his X handle. He talked about his situation, and what he feels upon being excluded from the Indian team. After making his comeback to the Test team, he was still excluded after one series.
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International career
Karun Kaladharan Nair was born on December 6, 1991. He is an Indian cricketer who plays for Vidarbha in domestic matches and for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. Nair bats right-handed at the top of the order and sometimes bowls off-spin. He is the second Indian player to score a triple century in Test cricket. He made his international debut in 2016 with an ODI against Zimbabwe, and later that year, he played his first Test match against England.
2016
- Named in India’s ODI and T20I squads for the Zimbabwe series in May.
- Made his ODI debut on June 11, 2016, at Harare Sports Club against Zimbabwe.
- Played his last ODI on June 13, 2016, in the same series.
- Made his Test debut on November 26, 2016, against England at Mohali.
- Scored his first Test century in the final match of the England series at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, finishing unbeaten on 303 runs.
- Became the quickest batsman in Test history to score a maiden triple century, doing so in his third innings.
- Became India’s second triple-centurion after Virender Sehwag and only the third player ever to turn a maiden Test century into a triple.
- India won that Test by an innings and 75 runs, and Nair was named Player of the Match.
- Dropped from the team after the series to allow Ajinkya Rahane’s return and missed the next Test match.
2017 - 2024
- Did not play for the Indian national team during this period.
- Continued to perform consistently in domestic cricket.
2025
- Recalled to the Indian Test squad in May after strong performances in domestic cricket and a double century for India A against England Lions.
- Played in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, batting at number 3.
- After poor performances in the first three Tests, scoring 131 runs in six innings, he was dropped for the fourth Test.
- Replaced by B. Sai Sudharsan.
- Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir stated Nair was not ruled out permanently but felt a left-handed batsman suited England’s bowling better.
- Former player Sanjay Manjrekar disagreed with this reasoning.
Leagues Participation
Karun Nair has played in several Indian Premier League (IPL) teams over the years. His career in the IPL has seen moves between multiple franchises, along with some leadership roles. Below is a summary of his participation in different IPL seasons.
Indian Premier League
Karun started his IPL journey with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2012 and 2013, but gained attention during the 2014 season with Rajasthan Royals by scoring 330 runs at a strike rate above 140. After the Rajasthan Royals were banned in 2016, he joined the Delhi Daredevils and even captained the team in three matches during the 2017 season. Since then, he has switched teams multiple times, including Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, and a return to Rajasthan Royals before moving back to Delhi Capitals in 2025.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2012
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Royal Challengers Bangalore
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Part of the squad but with limited impact
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2013
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Royal Challengers Bangalore
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Continued with the team
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2014
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Rajasthan Royals
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Breakthrough season, scored 330 runs at 142.24 strike rate
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2016
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Delhi Daredevils
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Joined after the Rajasthan Royals’ ban
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2017
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Delhi Daredevils
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Captained three matches after Zaheer Khan’s injury
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2018
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Kings XI Punjab
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Bought in the IPL auction
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2021
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Kolkata Knight Riders
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Purchased at the auction for the 2021 season
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2022
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Rajasthan Royals
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Returned via auction
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2024
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Delhi Capitals
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Bought at 50 lakh INR after registering at a 30 lakh base price
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2025
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Delhi Capitals
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Played, scoring 89 runs off 40 balls in his first game against the Mumbai Indians
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Domestic career
Karun Nair started playing first-class cricket for Karnataka in the 2013–14 season. He helped his team win the Ranji Trophy by scoring three centuries in a row during the last league game and the first two knockout matches. Although he had a tough time in the 2014–15 season with low scores, he came back strong by scoring 328 runs in the final. This made him the second player from Karnataka to score a triple century and the first to do so in a Ranji final since 1946–47. His score was also the highest by any batsman in a Ranji final.
In the 2015–16 season, Nair made 500 runs with two centuries and two half-centuries. He kept his form in the next season with one century and three fifties in six games. He was picked for India A in the 2018–19 Deodhar Trophy and later for the India Red team in the 2019–20 Duleep Trophy. In 2023, he played club cricket in England for Burbage & Easton Royal Cricket Club in the West of England Premier League.
In January 2025, Nair set a new world record in the Vijay Hazare Trophy by scoring 542 runs without getting out. He stayed unbeaten in five matches and hit three centuries in a row to reach this record for the most List A runs between dismissals.
Records and achievements
Karun Nair has set several vital records and reached notable milestones in his cricket career. His performances stand out both in international and domestic cricket, showing strong skill and consistency over the years.
- In December 2016, Nair scored 303 runs against England, becoming the second Indian to hit a triple century in Test cricket.
- During the 2014–15 Ranji Trophy final, he scored 328 runs, the highest individual score in a final since 1946–47.
- In the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored a total of 779 runs, showing great form in limited-overs cricket.
- In January 2025, Nair set a new world record by scoring 542 runs without being dismissed across five matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which included three consecutive centuries.
- He became the first Indian to score more than 500 runs in List A cricket without losing his wicket.
Personal life
Karun Nair comes from a family with strong roots in Kerala but was born and raised in various cities across India. His journey to cricket started early, partly due to health advice from doctors when he was a child. Outside cricket, he has built a family and faced challenges in his career that have attracted attention.
Family
Karun was born on December 6, 1991, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. His parents, Kaladharan Nair and Prema Nair, are initially from Kerala. His father, a mechanical engineer, worked in Bangalore and helped install the sprinkler system at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. His mother is a teacher. Karun has an older sister named Shruthi. He started playing cricket after doctors suggested sports to strengthen his lungs as a premature baby. He studied in Bangalore and speaks several languages, including Malayalam, his mother tongue.
Karun got engaged to Sanaya Tankariwala, a media professional, in June 2019. They married in January 2020 in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The couple has a son named Kayaan, born in January 2022.
Finance
In 2025, Karun Nair’s estimated net worth is between 50 and 55 crore rupees.
Scandals
In 2025, after low scores in the first three Test matches against England, Nair was dropped from the team. His total of 131 runs in six innings led to his replacement by B. Sai Sudharsan. Head coach Gautam Gambhir said Nair wasn’t completely ruled out, but the team preferred a left-handed batsman against England’s bowling. Former player Sanjay Manjrekar disagreed with this reasoning.
Fans
Many fans were disappointed when Nair was excluded from the squad in 2025. The chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, explained that the team could only pick 15 players, and Nair was left out. Karun has around 627,000 followers on Instagram, showing he has a strong fan base.
