Karun Nair Reacts to Ajit Agarkar’s Clarity on Champions Trophy Snub

Karun Nair from Vidarbha has shared his thoughts on Ajit Agarkar's comments about why he wasn’t picked for India’s Champions Trophy squad, even though he’s been doing really well in domestic cricket. Nair scored 752 runs in seven matches making it into Ranji Trophy semi-finals.

The right-handed batter last played for India in 2017. He made an excellent debut with a triple-century in his first Test series against England, but after only three more games, he was dropped because he struggled during a tough series against Australia. This season, Nair has been playing well, which has led people to talk about him possibly returning to the national team. Before India’s ODI series against England, Ajit Agarkar mentioned that he had a chat with Nair about his chances of being selected.

"At the moment, finding a spot in the squad in this team is really 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," Agarkar had said.

In an interview with RevSportz after reaching the Ranji semifinals, Nair said he was grateful for Agarkar's statement.

"It was good to see that a clear statement was given, and I think he made it very clear that, you know, what their thinking was, which makes it easier for the player to understand where he needs to go and what he needs to do. For me at least, it is just about focusing on the next match and focusing on winning the Ranji Trophy at the moment," Karun Nair told RevSportz in an interview.

Vidarbha beat Tamil Nadu by a huge margin of 198 runs in the Ranji Trophy quarterfinal. Karun Nair played a key role in the win, scoring an important 122 runs in the first innings. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award.

Nair mentioned that he’s been in great form for nearly a year and is focusing on making his way back into the Indian team.

"I have been batting the same way for the past 16-18 months. It was just about replicating whatever I was doing well, which I was fortunate enough to do over a consistent period. I have not made any changes to anything. It’s just 3-4 years of hard work on a consistent basis, going through the same process every single day, waking up every single day with one single thing in your head to go out there and play for your country. So, I think it’s all the 3-4 years of hard work or many more years of hard work that is coming into existence now," Nair said in the interview.

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