Triple century in Test, then out of Team India for 3000 days, Karun Nair got a chance again

‘Dear cricket, give me another chance’. On December 10, 2022, Karun Nair pleaded to the gods of cricket to get another chance to play in the Indian national team. Nearly two and a half years after that, he has been back in the Test setup for a rendezvous with destiny, having been out of the Test squad for nearly 3000 days, and that too for India's tour of England, which is cricket's biggest overseas test for an overseas batsman.

But, never one to run from trouble, this 33-year-old batsman proved himself once again, making his Test debut in the third Test at Mohali in 2016. Although Nair was always a top-order batsman, he was pushed up at No. 6 for his Test debut in which he could manage just 4 and 12 runs in his first two encounters. In India, there are always 12 players waiting for an opening, and Nair knew he needed to turn his performance around, and that he did in a record-breaking manner. Moeen Ali in first innings of fifth Test in Chennai, England scored 477 runs, courtesy Virat Kohli's 146 and Joe Root's 88 runs. Nair came in to bat when India were 211/3 and were dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohali in quick succession. Nair pounced at the chance and slammed a triple century.

Every young batsman dreams of scoring a century for his country, but a triple century was unprecedented. After his second series against Australia in March 2017 at home with scores of 26, 0, 23 and 5, Nair was dropped, and there were no signs of his return. In a cricketing powerhouse like India, where you will find ambitious batsmen in every lane, Nair was left behind, while India under Virat Kohli's leadership was steadily progressing and becoming one of the best Test playing nations with his 303-run innings a distant memory. The ruthlessness of cricket has forced many promising players to end their playing careers perhaps with a career behind the mic. The team saw the world changing for the better but Nair remained determined and decided to give his all at the domestic level.

For the next four years, Nair toiled hard for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy but a string of poor performances eluded him in the Indian team. It wasn't until 2023 that Nair actively decided to make the switch, starting with a move to Vidarbha instead of Karnataka. In his first season with the team, he scored 690 runs in 10 matches and followed it up with 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games in 2024 with four centuries, including a hundred in the final that led Vidarbha to win the trophy. He also showed signs of power-hitting in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 779 runs in just eight innings, including five centuries, which led to Delhi Capitals picking him up for Rs 50 lakh in the 2024 IPL mega auction.

Despite having a disappointing season with the Capitals, which began with Nair scoring 122 runs in the opening four matches, he was selected as the new captain of the team. The right-handed batsman played a brilliant innings of 89 runs off 40 balls while sitting on the bench. Nair's inclusion in India's squad for the England tour due to the retirement of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli may also be linked to his impressive performance in the 2024 County Championship, in which he scored 487 runs in seven matches at an average of 48.70, including a double century. India's most important Test series against England will run from June 20 to August 4, featuring at Headingley, Edgbaston, Lord's, Old Trafford and The Oval. India are aiming to win a Test series in England for the first time since 2007.