Karun, Nair, the domestic veteran was not included in India's Champions Trophy squad that was announced by the BCCI on January 18. There were also chances of him being picked for the home series against England which did not happen as well.
Nair finished with 779 runs from nine innings in the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored five centuries in the tournament and looked in supreme touch. His performances in domstic cricket made the BCCI take notice of him, however, he was denied a spot in India's Champions Trophy squad.
Ajit Agarkar, the Chairman of Selectors for BCCI said that at this point there was no place for Karun Nair within the team. “Averaging 750-plus is simply insane, but it’s a squad of 15, so we can’t fit everyone" Agarkar said.
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Karun Nair Opens Up After CT Snub
Meanwhile, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh backed Nair's selection and slammed the BCCI for not including him in India's Champions Trophy squad. Now Nair himsel has broken his silence on his snub. In an exclusive conversation with Sports Tak, Nair revealed that he was not expecting a call-up for the 8-team mega event which is scheduled to start from February 19.
"If I'm being honest, before the tournament, I wasn't thinking about that. At least for me, it felt quite far away. But like I said, you have dreams, you have thoughts, you want to achieve things. But you're not thinking, "I'm going to make it." You think, "I want to make it." But whether it will actually happen is always a question mark in your head" Nair said.
"I still have the dream of playing Test cricket for India. I've said it in many interviews. So quite honestly, that was the only thing on my mind. I wasn't even thinking that I'd be mentioned or considered for the Champions Trophy squad, so I feel really grateful for that," Nair added.
Nair's recent run of form was greatly admired by even batting legend Sachin Tendulkar. He posted on X congratulating the Indian batter on his sensational run with the bat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Nair also reacted to the appreciation he received from Tendulkar saying that it was a great feeling.
"It was one of the greatest feelings ever to receive appreciation from your childhood hero. It was an amazing moment. I am really thankful to him for taking the time to put out that message. I feel truly blessed to have received those kind words from him. But again, I need to keep performing. Every game and every innings counts, so that remains my focus," Nair further said.
Champions Trophy 2025 is scheduled to start from February 19. India will start their campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh in Dubai. They play against Pakistan on February 23 and against New Zealand on March 2.
