Karun Nair: Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, along with Indian team captain Rohit Sharma, announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI series and Champions Trophy against England. Notably, Karun Nair was left out of the lineup, a decision that has faced criticism from Harbhajan Singh.
Karun Nair has made record runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy
Nair has been in outstanding form, averaging 752 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Agarkar defended the decision, claiming there was no available position for him. This led Harbhajan to ask a pointed question to the Chief Selector: if domestic talents are ignored, what is the purpose of playing domestic cricket? In an Instagram post, Bhajji questioned the logic behind not selecting players based on their current form and performance, specifically highlighting Nair with a hashtag. Before the Vijay Hazare Trophy final, Nair had an average of 752 from seven matches, with impressive scores of 122*, 163*, and 111*. Unfortunately, he was dismissed in the final by a well-placed delivery from Prasidh Krishna.
Is there a point playing Domestic cricket when you don’t pick players based on form & performance ? #KarunNair
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) January 18, 2025
An extraordinary average of 389.50
Nair last played for India in March 2017 but has made a compelling case for his return with an exceptional performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 779 runs at an extraordinary average of 389.50, including five centuries and one half-century. Despite his team’s inability to win the trophy, many believed Nair’s remarkable performance would lead to his return to the national team, but that opportunity did not arise.