Karun Nair is currently the talk of the town following his comeback into the Indian Test team after an eight-year hiatus. The Karnataka batter defied odds and shut down the doubters to make his most awaited return to the national team. Ahead of five match test series against England, Nair speaking to Sports Mail revealed that he received discouraging advice from a senior figure in Indian cricket.
Nair during an interview revealed that two years ago a respected Indian cricketer suggested he consider taking international retirement and instead pursue a financially secure career through T20 leagues around the world.
Nair revealed, “I still remember that phone call. A prominent Indian cricketer told me I should think about retiring because there was good money in T20 leagues. It would have been the easier path, no doubt. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t walk away like that not without giving myself another shot.”
Instead of listening to that advice, Nair chose the harder road grinding it out in domestic cricket and his persistence paid off when he was picked up for the upcoming England tour.
The 33-year-old right-handed batter, who famously scored an unbeaten triple-century against England in 2016. He said, “I always believed I had the ability to represent India again. There was a game last year where they played the national anthem before the match, and as we stood there in line, I felt that fire return I could see myself in the Indian whites again. That image stayed with me.”
Nair further added that he isn’t fixated on the number of matches or long-term plans. “What matters now is that I get to enjoy wearing the India cap again. Earlier, I didn’t make the most of my opportunities. This time, I want to soak it all in one match at a time.”
Karun Nair's domestic career
Since 2022, Nair has been one of the most consistent performers in red-ball cricket, amassing 2,839 runs across 34 first-class matches at a stellar average of 53.57. His tally includes 10 centuries and 10 half-centuries figures which made his case for a comeback impossible to ignore.
