Indian batter Karun Nair was not included in the 15-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against West Indies.
Karun Nair Missed Out on West Indies Test Squad
Indian batter Karun Nair was not included in the 15-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against West Indies. Nair, who played in the Tests against England, ended that series with an average of 25.62, scoring 205 runs in four matches, including a crucial half-century in the final game at The Oval.
BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that the team wanted a stronger contribution from Nair, leading to the selection of Devdutt Padikkal instead.
Expressing his disappointment, Nair told the Times of India, “Yes, I did expect the selection. I don’t know what to say. No words. I don’t have many comments to make. It’s very difficult for me to answer. You should probably ask the selectors what they are thinking. The only thing is, in the last Test match, I scored a fifty when no one else managed in the first innings. So, yeah, I thought I contributed to the team, especially in the last game that we won. But, yeah, it is what it is. Those things don’t matter.”
Agarkar Explains Nair’s Omission, Backs Padikkal
Earlier, Ajit Agarkar shared his honest take on why Karun Nair was not included in the squad.
“I mean obviously, frankly, we expected a little bit more from him, he has played four Tests. We have spoken about one innings. As the way it is, I mean, we feel Padikkal (Devdutt) offers a little bit more at this point, and I wish we could have given everyone 15 or 20 Tests. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way,” Agarkar said.
He also expressed confidence in Padikkal, who impressed for India A in the unofficial Test against Australia A.
