Karun Nair viewed the conclusion of 2022 as the lowest point of his cricket career. After a run of outstanding domestic performances in recent years, the 33-year-old has made an incredible comeback to the Indian Test team after an eight-year sabbatical.
Karun Nair acknowledged that he has never want to go back to the agonizing time when he found it difficult to understand why he was dismissed from the Indian squad in 2016 so soon after achieving a record triple century against England. There is a good chance that Nair will be included in India’s starting lineup for the opening Test match at Headingley, Leeds, given the forthcoming Test series against England.
“In terms of incidents, I would say, it was quite a dark place at the end of 2022. Very emotional phase for me. I think it was the toughest time for me. Even tougher than 2018, or whatever, whenever that was,” Nair said to Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
“No. I don’t want to be where I was a couple of years ago, quite honestly. I think at the moment, at least I am very grateful. Like you said, I have gotten past that complaining stage. Very grateful to be in the situation that I am and I just treat every day as something that’s given to me, and I am living my life and doing what I love. I am very grateful to everyone that has been part of my journey in the last 2-3 years at least. I have understood to value things. I have understood to value each moment and just treat every single day as a new day.”
Karun Nair
Karun Nair acknowledged that being cut from the Indian squad left him perplexed. The right-handed hitter couldn’t make sense of what was going on around him, but he thought he would be included in the team for the 2017 Sri Lanka series.
“Honestly, I couldn’t understand what was happening. Because after the 300 in Chennai, after the Australia series, I think the next series was in Sri Lanka in 2017. I wasn’t part of that squad either. And from then on, I couldn’t understand what was happening. Then I had to go back to domestic cricket.”
Karun Nair
Karun Nair thought he might have guaranteed his spot in the squad with a solid performance against Australia. He acknowledged that he might not have ended up there if he had turned his starts into significant runs.
“I had no clue what was happening. All I knew was my name wasn’t there. I couldn’t understand how it wasn’t there. But if I look back and think that there is one side of me saying that ‘yes, I didn’t get too many opportunities’. But the other way I would also think is the four innings that I played against Australia, and I got a couple of starts. If I had just converted those starts into bigger scores, maybe I wouldn’t be in this position or had to have gone through that.”
Karun Nair
I was young and confused: Karun Nair
Nair revealed that during that challenging time, he found it impossible to regulate the ideas that were racing through his head. Despite being young and fresh off a successful domestic season, he acknowledged that he was not given many chances to establish himself at the time.
“Just figuring out how I should go about things and what I should be doing. Obviously, I was a lot younger at that time and couldn’t probably control what was running in my head like I am able to do today. So, basically, just a confused mind and was trying so hard to get back that I think I just kept getting worse. But I had a great season that year in domestic cricket and I was able to come back like I said in the 2018 season. And then again, went back there. Didn’t have too many opportunities.”
Karun Nair
Karnataka team felt like family: Karun Nair
Nair admitted that the Karnataka team’s assistance was crucial to him during his difficult moments. Even though he wasn’t having a fantastic season at the time, he acknowledged that they were like family to him. Despite his form issues, he was grateful that they never put any pressure on him.
“I think there has always been a great bond between the players in Karnataka. Because we all played together from a very young age. And all of us made the grade at the same time, if I can say that. So, there was always support. There was never anyone, you know, lacking that support. They have always said good things. They always knew the player that I was. So, I always had the trust from the players in the Karnataka team at least.”
Karun Nair
“So, to go back there, it again felt like a family. And obviously, it didn’t have a great season. But that happens to anyone, I would think. And yeah, it’s just everyone felt or everyone supported me. Like I said, it’s like a family. And everyone was caring. And they never put any undue pressure on me in terms of, ‘oh, I wasn’t scoring’ or no one really came up to me.”
Karun Nair
