Karun Nair Opens Up On Champions Trophy Exclusion Despite Stellar Performance
The Indian cricketer Karun Nair opened up on his exclusion from the national squad for the upcoming tournaments even after performing brilliantly in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He performed really well in the recently concluded domestic cricket, scoring 779 runs for Vidarbha in eight innings at an average of 189.50. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025, where his name was missing. In the press conference held on Saturday, the selection committee chief, Ajit Agarkar, had to face some tricky questions about Nair's omission from the squad, despite scoring this good.
Nair remained unbeaten in 8 of the 9 innings he featured in in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with just one dismissal, which came in the final against Karnataka.
The 33-year-old opened up on his exclusion from the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy squad; he said,
"Obviously, the possibility of an India comeback has to be on your mind. If you want to play for the country, you have to keep dreaming. There are these thoughts and dreams in the head, but that's just motivation."
Agarkar, when asked about Nair's non-selection from the squad, said that,
"I mean, those are really special performances, and I mean someone who averages about 700+, 750+, or something—we did have a chat, no doubt about it, when those kinds of performances happen. At the moment, to find a spot in this team is very difficult. Look at the guys who have been picked. All average well in excess of mid-40s. Unfortunately, you can't fit everyone in a squad of 15. But those performances certainly make you take notice. If there is a loss of form (for a player) or injuries, there's certainly going to be a conversation around him."