Karun Nair returned to the Team India team for the first time since 2017, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named an 18-man roster for the five-match Test series in England on Saturday, May 24. The 33-year-old received recognition for hammering nine hundreds in various forms and amassing a ton of runs during the previous domestic season. During the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season, the Vidarbha captain scored 863 runs in 16 innings at an average of 53.93, which included four tons.
In December 2016, Nair defeated England (at Chepauk) with an undefeated 303*, setting a record for the most Test-related triple hundreds. However, he only managed 374 runs in seven innings and didn’t get a long rope. He will therefore be eager to make things better after his return.
Fans on X praised Nair for his efforts in first-class cricket following his return to Team India. A user wrote:
“Karun Nair prove it again, never loss hope never.”
Another user commented:
“Karun Nair comes back !!! What a story.”
A third user added:
“So proud to see Karun Nair return to Team India’s Test squad for the England series! fter a sensational domestic season across formats, the triple-centurion is ready to roar again. Welcome back, Karun — go make it count!”
Here are a few more reactions:
Karun Nair 2.0 https://t.co/7gC0lbvDva pic.twitter.com/izrGsY8YJL
— SANKET (@oye_protein) May 24, 2025Good to see Karun Nair in the squad. Hopefully he gets a chance. Although he hasn't played much Test cricket, still he is very experienced. This young Indian batting unit definitely needs someone with that kind of experience.
— Vijay Anaparthi (@VijayCricketFan) May 24, 2025Happy to see Karun Nair back in Team India squad. Hard work pays
— Rohan R Shanbhag (@rony619619) May 24, 2025“With Virat not there, clearly we’re lacking experience” – Ajit Agarkar on Karun Nair’s Test comeback ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 Test series
Ajit Agarkar, the BCCI selection chairman, revealed that Karun Nair was chosen for his experience following Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket. According to Firstpost, he stated:
“At the moment, Karun has scored heaps of runs in domestic, has played a bit of Test cricket, played a bit of county cricket. With Virat not there, clearly we’re lacking a bit of experience. We felt his experience could help.”
Ajit Agarkar
Unfortunately, despite Sarfaraz Khan’s outstanding Test performance, he was ignored. Regarding this, Agarkar stated:
“Sometimes you just have to make good decisions. Sarfaraz, I know he got a 100 in the first Test and then didn’t get runs. Sometimes it’s decisions the team management takes.”
Ajit Agarkar
Notably, Nair has represented Northamptonshire in County Championship Division Two. In 11 innings, the middle-order batsman scored 487 runs at an average of 48.70, including an undefeated 202 against Glamorgan.
