カルン・ナイルは郡内での勤務のおかげで、IND対ENGテストでインドの中堅にうまく適応できるようになった

Karun Nair is arguably in the form of his life, having rediscovered his mojo in the last couple of years. With two ODIs and six Tests to his name, the Vidarbha skipper last played for India in 2017 and is now desperate to make a comeback. And he might very well stand a chance to do so in the IND vs ENG Test series in June.

India should include Karun Nair for IND vs ENG Tests

The 33-year-old is the highest run-getter in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, with 664 runs to his name. While he has no chance of making it to the ODI side, Nair has played enough County cricket in England over the last two years which warrants for his inclusion in the Indian side when the team visits the UK later this year. His ability to bat in the middle-order will make him an asset for India and a much needed boost that the team currently lacks.

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In an interview with The Hindu, Karun explained how the County stint helped him gain confidence. In 2023, Nair played three matches for Northamptonshire. This included playing at Test venues like Edgbaston and The Oval where he tasted success with the bat. He revealed that his goal, during the County stint, was to learn how to play in those conditions rather than scoring runs.

“I got a call to play three matches for Northamptonshire towards the end of the season. It is actually the better part of the season to play county cricket. So I was really happy with the opportunity, and I played two out of three matches at Test venues against top opposition (2023). I got runs in Edgbaston and scored a 150 at The Oval (against Surrey) which was amazing and gave me a lot of confidence,” Nair said.

Why Karun Nair would be perfect fit in middle-order

The middle-order is the perfect place for Nair to fit in for IND vs ENG Tests, not just because of his form but also due to the miserable form of the batters in the current setup. Since 2022, Virat Kohli has only scored 1187 runs in 22 Tests at an average of 32. In 6 Tests, Sarfaraz Khan has scored 371 runs at an average of 37. That includes one ton and three fifties. KL Rahul has played 6 Tests in the middle-order in the same period, from No. 4 to No. 6, and has scored 339 runs only at an average of 37, including one ton and two fifties.

arun Nair till now in this current Ranji Trophy season has 289 runs in 4 matches, at an average of 48. With the second leg of the tournament commencing on January 23, it remains to be seen if he can continue on his red-hot form and end his 8-year wait to return to the Indian team.