Middle-order batter Karun Nair, who is set to make his comeback into the Indian team after 8 years, was once advised to retire by a prominent figure in Indian cricket.
The 33-year-old, who previously featured for India in 6 Test matches, famously scored a triple hundred against England in 2017. However, after that historic knock, he played only one more match and was then left out of the Test team. Fast forward 8 years, Karun has made a deserving comeback into the Indian squad, now led by Shubman Gill, for the tour of England.
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Karun Nair Says Senior Cricketer Urged Him to Leave International Cricket
In a recent interview with Daily Mail, Karun Nair dropped a bombshell, revealing that he was advised to retire two years ago by a prominent Indian cricketer while waiting for another opportunity. The player even suggested that Nair focus on playing in T20 leagues around the world.
“I still remember a prominent Indian cricketer calling me and saying I should retire because the money in these leagues would make me secure. It would have been easy to do, but I knew that regardless of the money, I would be kicking myself for giving up that easily,” Nair told the Daily Mail.
Believing in himself, Karun didn’t take that advice. Now at 33, he’s back in the Indian Test squad and believes he has another 4–5 years of red-ball cricket left in him.
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From Domestic Glory to Test Recall: Karun Nair’s Road Back
The journey hasn’t been easy. Karun, confident in his skills, put in the work through strong stints in the Ranji Trophy for Karnataka and later Vidarbha. His breakthrough came last season, where he scored 863 runs at an average of 54, including five centuries, which were key to Vidarbha lifting the Ranji Trophy title. His move from Karnataka to Vidarbha marked a turning point, helping him notch up over 1500 runs across two seasons.
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He also made headlines with a record-breaking performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, averaging 389.5 with five centuries. Though he was initially expected to be selected for the Champions Trophy 2025, he missed out. However, following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Karun found his way back into the Indian squad for the England tour.
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As part of the India A squad, Karun made another statement by scoring a double hundred in the first match against England Lions, finishing the two-match series with 259 runs. He is now in strong contention to play in the first Test, having re-established himself as a valuable option in India’s middle order.
Stay tuned for more updates on the India tour of England 2025.
