Karun Nair Reflects on His Journey Back to the Indian Test Team
Karun Nair's Return to the Indian Squad
Leeds [UK], June 20: Karun Nair describes his comeback to the Indian cricket team as a moment where "life has come full circle." He expressed his readiness for the challenging five-match Test series against England, set to commence on Friday at Headingley.
In 2018, Nair traveled to England but was unable to secure a place in the final playing XI during the tour. Following that series, he was dropped from the Test squad and dedicated himself to domestic cricket to earn his way back.
After an impressive performance in the recent Ranji Trophy season, Nair has made his return to the national side seven years later, revisiting the same venue where his journey with the team took a downturn. The retirements of prominent players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have paved the way for his return as India aims for its first Test victory at Headingley since 2002, now under the new captaincy of Shubman Gill.
"Life has come to a full circle. I went out of the team in England, and now I am coming back to the team in England, so it has been a while, and I am trying to embrace that," the 33-year-old batsman shared in a video released by the BCCI.
Throughout this journey, Nair maintained his belief and hunger for the game, ultimately rejoining the team after witnessing the success of his peers. As he gears up for another chance to solidify his position, he feels privileged to don the Indian jersey once more.
"When I woke up, my first thought was that I want to play Test cricket and represent India again. That desire kept me motivated and eager to train every day. Holding onto that belief and having a goal to achieve was crucial for me. I feel honored to wear this jersey and represent my country," he stated.
"Seeing everyone for the first time made me realize that I am finally back in the team. Until then, it felt like a waiting game for me to truly feel that I had made it again. Don’t chase perfection; dream big and believe in yourself because anything can happen at any moment. Hi, this is Karun Nair, and I am ready to go," he concluded.
India's squad includes: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.