Karun Nair has been left out of the India A squad for the two-match unofficial Test series against Australia A in Lucknow. Karun Nair’s snub from the India A squad was a clear hint that the 33-year-old’s international career is all but over.
The Karnataka batter, who had cracked a sensational triple century against England in 2016, had made a comeback earlier this year for the England tour after nearly nine years. He was selected for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy but failed to make a significant impact in England.
Karun Nair’s career all but finished with India A snub
Nair could manage only one fifty across six innings in his comeback Test series, which sealed his fate with the Indian cricket team. There is a high chance that he might not get another chance to sport whites for the country. With India looking to rebuild its Test squad ahead of the home season, many expected the Karnataka batter to be a key part of the plan.
But the Indian selectors have decided to move on from Nair, bringing in fresh faces and emerging talent instead for the two four-day matches against Australia A. Even the Indian selectors have not made any comment on why Nair was not picked in the India A squad or mentioned anything about his injury recovery.
No BCCI update on Karun Nair’s injury recovery
Notably, Karun Nair suffered a finger injury at The Oval, which also kept him out of the Maharaja T20 League. But whether this played a role in the decision remains unclear. No official statement has been made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
This snub has fuelled speculation that the national selectors have quietly dropped him from the team. It is being said that this is the end of his international career, and the England tour was his last series. Nair is unlikely to be picked for the upcoming Test series against the West Indies at home.
Notably, Karun Nair has played 10 Tests and 2 ODIs for India, scoring 579 and 46 runs, respectively. However, he has been a giant in domestic cricket with over 8600 first-class runs, 3128 List-A runs, and 3660 runs in T20 cricket so far.
Future stars get a big opportunity in the red-ball setup
On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer, who missed out on the Asia Cup 2025 squad, has been handed the captaincy of India. A side for the red-ball games against Australia A. Young wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel has been named vice-captain and is being groomed as a red-ball prospect for the future.
On the other hand, KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj will return for the second match to prepare for the upcoming Test series at home. Nitish Kumar Reddy is back after recovering from a knee injury. N Jagadeesan, after a stellar domestic season, earns his spot, while Devdutt Padikkal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, and debutant Ayush Badoni are named in the squad.
The bowling lineup has both experience and youth with Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Yash Thakur, and spinners Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, and Manav Suthar.