Karnataka batter Karun Nair was not particularly satisfied with his omission from South Zone for the on-going 2026 Duleep Trophy trophy final taking place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The right-hand batter has taken a dig at South Zone captain Tilak Varma and the team management.
Karun Nair was left out of South Zone’s squad for the final against East Zone despite being part of the team earlier in the competition. He responded with a post on social media, calling the decision “inexplicable”. Notably, he was also left out of the playing XI for the semi-final against North Zone.
Nair quote tweeted a post from journalist Shashank Kishore on social media platform X where the latter stated that the batter scored a superb century for KSCA Secretary XI during their pre-season match against Chhattisgarh. Kishore also wrote that Nair did so after being inexplicably left out for a second straight Duleep Trophy game.
“A day after being left out inexplicably for a second straight Duleep Trophy fixture by South Zone, @karun126 brings up a superb century for KSCA Secretary XI against Chhattisgarh in the KSCA’s pre-season red-ball comp. South Zone could’ve done with his presence in pursuit of a mammoth 708,” Kishore wrote.
Nair quote tweeted by saying, “Inexplicable would be an understatement”.
The 35-year-old’s frustration is understandable, but his recent career also explains why his place in the India setup has come under scrutiny. Nair was given a fair chance to prove himself during India’s Test tour of England last year.
He played in the series but could not make a strong enough case to hold on to his place. His 2026 IPL campaign was another setback, with the batter failing to make a significant impact.
That does not mean his domestic record can be ignored. Nair has been one of India’s most productive first-class batters and has continued to score heavily in the Ranji Trophy. His omission from the Duleep Trophy final, however, shows that past performances alone may not be enough to secure a place in a strong South Zone side.
Tilak Varma, who led South Zone into the final, had earlier explained that Nair was left out of the semi-final because of a tactical decision to play Kodimela Himateja. Varma himself played a key role in the win over North Zone, scoring an unbeaten 116 in the first innings and 51 not out in the chase.
South Zone secured their place in the final with a seven-wicket win over North Zone. Their bowling attack restricted North to 175 in the first innings while Varma and Ravichandran Smaran helped the team complete the chase.
Meanwhile, East Zone, led by Ishan Kishan, have made a strong start with the bat in the Duleep Trophy final. Kishan scored 270, while Kumar Kushagra added 101, helping East Zone post 708. The big total has put South Zone under pressure with the bowlers struggling to contain the East Zone batters.