Nair’s return to the Test side has been powered by a standout performance in the India A vs England Lions match, where he smashed a commanding 204, reigniting hopes and earning a well-deserved recall.At 33, Karun Nair returns to India’s Test squad for the first time since 2017. He’s part of the playing XI for the first Test of the five-match series against England, taking place at Headingley in Leeds.
IND Vs ENG 1st Test: Karun Nair Returns After 8 Years As India Bat First At Headingley
India’s Karun Nair returns to Test cricket for the first time since 2017 in the ongoing series against England
India, led by Shubman Gill, have been asked to bat first after England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bowl.
Karun Nair Test Stats:
The last time Karun Nair played a Test for India was back in 2017, after being dropped following the home Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. In his red-ball career so far, the Indian batter has featured in just six matches, batting across seven innings and scoring 374 runs.
What stands out, however, is his remarkable unbeaten 303 in just his third Test in 2016, making him only the second Indian to score a triple century in the format. However, a dip in form followed, and he featured in just three more Tests before being sidelined.
Nair’s return to the Test side has been powered by a standout performance in the India A vs England Lions Test match, where he smashed a commanding 204.
Not only that, the 33-year-old has enjoyed a stellar domestic season. After being dropped from the Karnataka Ranji Trophy squad in 2022, Nair found a fresh start with Vidarbha. He also gained valuable County Championship experience playing for Northamptonshire in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
And in the In the 2024–25 domestic season, Karun Nair remained the pillar behind Vidarbhar's Ranji Trophy title victory piling up 863 runs at an average of 53.93.
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