"Finding a way back to Tests" - Karun Nair hopeful for a red-ball return following Maharaja Trophy brilliance

A century in Tests? A normal but appreciable feat. A double ton? Commendable! A triple century? A wonder you’d think would be enough to cement the batter’s position in the team. Karnataka-born Karun Nair would have to disagree with that thought. Nair positioned himself alongside Virender Sehwag when he smashed a triple century against England in 2016. The then 24-year-old became only the second Indian player to achieve the feat after Sehwag, who did it twice in his cricketing tenure. However, now Nair is nowhere to be found around the Indian cricket setup. Nair’s stint with the Indian team, as unbelievable as it may sound given his glorious triple century record, lasted for just 4 Tests. The Karnataka batter has, in fact, struggled to earn consistent call-ups for the domestic circuit. However, now playing in the Maharaja T20 League, Nair is hopeful for a second chance with the Indian Test side.

Karun Nair hopeful for a red-ball return despite the Duleep Trophy snub

Despite putting on noteworthy performances across formats through county championships and T20 leagues like the Maharaja Trophy, Nair has still not caught the eye of the selectors. What else could be the reason behind Nair’s absence from the Duleep Trophy squad? The upcoming domestic tournament boasts a loaded lineup with senior players taking on domestic cricket. However, the constant setbacks are yet to bother Nair, who recently expressed his readiness to venture into the Test setup for India.

"They say a player peaks at 30-31, I would like to believe that's true in my case," Nair said in a conversation with ESPNcricinfo. "The last year has been good. After last year's Maharaja T20, I had a pretty good domestic season,” he added.

"I feel like I'm batting as well as I've ever done. I am in a good headspace; I know where my game is. I am just making sure if I get opportunities, wherever it may be, the focus is on making the most of those chances so that I can climb up the stairs again. It's still exciting to wake up each morning and dream of finding a way back to play Test cricket. That keeps me going. I would love to win trophies; we missed out in the Ranji last year. I will try to correct it this year,” Nair concluded.

Nair's recent Maharaja Trophy exploit

Nair has drifted away from the mainstream cricketing circuit in India, with his last IPL appearance recorded back in 2022 with Rajasthan Royals. Moreover, the 32-year-old was also overlooked for the domestic season by the Karnataka association for the 2022-23 season. Nair, however, has never been one to let go easily. The batter made a move from Karnataka to Vidarbha, where he scored 690 runs to push the team into the Ranji Trophy Finals. 

KARUN NAIR SMASHED 124* (48). 🤯

- A swashbuckling century in the Maharaja Trophy by Nair. A quality knock at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. 👌pic.twitter.com/cnXYiAZutv

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 19, 2024

Nair backed up his form with a blazing performance in the Maharaja League for Mysuru, smashing 532 runs at a strike rate of 162.69 across the 12 innings he played in the 2023 edition. This year, Nair is back with the Mysuru Warriors, leading the team in the ongoing league. The captain, on Monday roared his presence in the league as he scored an unbeaten 128 off just 48 deliveries. Nair's T20 exploit included the batter smashing 9 sixes and 14 fours against Mangalore.