Following the West Indies Test series snub, Karun Nair has notched up consecutive smashing knocks in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26.
The veteran Indian batting pair of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara has expressed their displeasure over the team selection process for Tests. Following the recent performances of Karun Nair and Abhimanyu Easwaran in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26, the duo have voiced for their inclusion in India’s red-ball line-up.
Following multiple dominating Ranji Trophy seasons, Karun had finally earned the national team recall for the Test tour of England. But after an eight-year wait to don the Indian jersey again, the five-match series proved to be not a memorable one for the Karnataka batter.
He managed only 205 runs in four matches at a below-par average of 25.62. This also included his solitary half-century in the final fixture at The Oval. Considering the poor outing, Karun was dropped from the squad for the subsequent home Test series against the West Indies.
However, the 33-year-old has responded to the selectors with a fierce run of form in India’s premier red-ball event. The fourth-highest run-scorer of the last season has also kicked off Ranji Trophy 2025 on a high. Karun has notched up a magnificent 174 not out against Goa, following his 80-run contribution facing Saurashtra in the tournament-opener.
After his successive promising displays with the willow, former Mumbai skipper Rahane has opined that the batter deserved a few more chances in the Indian lineup to prove his mettle. He also spoke about the West Bengal captain, Abhimanyu Easwaran. The batter was recently axed from the squad for the two Tests against the Caribbeans, after travelling with the Indian Test team since December 2022.
“In the last two-three seasons, we saw that Karun Nair had put up some great match-winning performances. But I think he should have gotten another chance. Abhimanyu Easwaran has also done well for so many years in domestic cricket. But he is yet to make his debut. I’m sure he will soon make his debut,” stated Rahane.
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The recently retired player also agreed with his batting partner, Rahane. He felt that rewarding the players’ hard work in the domestic tournaments encourages others to give their best. Moreover, Pujara emphasised that the selectors should always prioritise domestic performances while selecting the national red-ball squad.
“When players do well in domestic cricket, they deserve to be rewarded. If players get a chance in the Test team after performing well in domestic cricket, it encourages them. I believe this should continue, and the Indian Test team selection should always be based on domestic cricket performance,” added the former batter.
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