Dream of finding a way back to playing Test cricket keeps me going: Karun Nair

Karun Nair. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)

Karun Nair said he still aspires to make a comeback to the Indian Test setup. The right-handed batter is one of the two Indian players to have registered triple centuries in Test cricket, along with Virender Sehwag, who has two of them. He made a scintillating start to his Test career but he somehow lost the plot and eventually lost his place in the Indian team.

The 32-year-old, however, said that he is batting “as well as I’ve ever done”. He is currently plying his trade for Mysuru Warriors in the Maharaja T20 Trophy. Nair said that he is eager to win trophies and wants to reclaim his spot back in India’s Test side.

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“I feel like I’m batting as well as I’ve ever done. I am in a good head space, I know where my game is. I am just making sure if I get opportunities, wherever it may be, the focus is on making the most of those chances so that I can climb up the stairs again,” Nair was quoted as saying on ESPNcricinfo.

“It’s still exciting to wake up each morning and dream of finding a way back to play Test cricket. That keeps me going. I would love to win trophies; we missed out on the Ranji last year. I will try to correct it this year,” he added.

Nair made his Test debut in 2016 against England in Mohali. After registering a couple of low scores in his first two Test innings, the elegant batter slammed an awe-inspiring 303 not out off 381 balls at Chepauk. However, he managed only 54 runs in his next four Test innings and was dropped from the side. It’s been seven years since his last Test appearance but Nair is not losing hope.

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Last year, he moved to Vidarbha ahead of the 2023-2024 domestic season to get more playing time. Nair scored 690 runs in the Ranji Trophy to take his team to the final, where they lost to Mumbai. In T20s, he played some fine knocks, including an unbeaten 95 off 52 balls that helped Vidarbha pull off their highest successful run-chase in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy versus Bengal. Nair also registered a century and a half-century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, contributing 230 runs from seven innings at an average of 46. The Jodhpur-born would want to go from strength to strength this year and give himself the best chance to return to the national team.