Karun Nair's Second Chance at 33: Scoring Runs and Getting Back to Team India

Karun Nair's dream of scoring runs and getting back to Team India finally came true after eight long years of persistence. The 33-year-old batsman has been selected in the 18-member Indian squad for next month's tour of England. During his time out of the national reckoning, Nair remained unyielding, exploring new channels and joining English County side Northamptonshire. He scored 249 runs from three matches at an average of 83 and aggregated 487 runs from seven matches at an average of 49 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Nair's decision to move from Karnataka to Vidarbha proved to be a good move, as he scored 690 runs from 10 matches with two hundreds and three fifties, and then amassing 863 runs from nine matches, averaging 54 with four hundreds, in the 2024-25 season. His top form in white-ball cricket scoring 779 runs from seven matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament with five centuries, with an average of 389.50, caught the attention of selectors.

Key Takeaways:

• Karun Nair was selected in the 18-member Indian squad for next month's tour of England after eight years out of the national reckoning.
• During his time out of the national team, Nair played for English County side Northamptonshire, scoring 249 runs from three matches at an average of 83 in 2023.
• In 2024, Nair aggregated 487 runs from seven matches at an average of 49 for Northants, including a century against Glamorgan.
• Nair's decision to move from Karnataka to Vidarbha proved to be a good move, as he scored 690 runs from 10 matches with two hundreds and three fifties.
• In the 2024-25 season, Nair amassed 863 runs from nine matches, averaging 54 with four hundreds.
• His top form in white-ball cricket scoring 779 runs from seven matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament with five centuries, with an average of 389.50, caught the attention of selectors.

Statistics:

• Nair scored 249 runs from three matches at an average of 83 in 2023 for Northants.
• In 2024, Nair aggregated 487 runs from seven matches at an average of 49 for Northants.
• Nair scored 690 runs from 10 matches with two hundreds and three fifties in Vidarbha.
• In the 2024-25 season, Nair amassed 863 runs from nine matches, averaging 54 with four hundreds.
• Nair scored 779 runs from seven matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament with five centuries, with an average of 389.50.

Sources:

• The Hitavada (2025)
• Contify.com