Is it end of the road for Karun Nair in Tests?

BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar has explained why Karun Nair was left out of India’s squad for the upcoming West Indies series, which was announced on Thursday. Nair featured in four of the five Tests on the England tour, where he managed just 205 runs, including a single half-century. The series marked the Karnataka batter’s comeback to the national side after more than 3000 days, but it turned out to be a disappointing return.

Speaking to the media after the squad announcement, Agarkar said the selectors had expected better returns from Nair and felt that Devdutt Padikkal currently offers more to the team than the 33-year-old. He added that it isn’t possible to give extended runs to every player and that Padikkal’s recent form makes him a stronger option moving forward.

“Honestly, we expected a bit more from Karun. He played four Tests, and you mention just one notable innings. That’s the reality. At this stage, we think Padikkal gives us a little more. Of course, we’d like to give everyone 15–20 Tests, but unfortunately, that’s not possible,” Agarkar said.

He pointed out that Padikkal has already been part of the Test squad, including the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and featured in the Dharamshala Test against England. The youngster has also shown good touch with India A. “We expected more from Karun Nair, frankly,” Agarkar reiterated.

In the England series, Nair averaged just 25.62 while batting at No.3 and No.6. In contrast, Padikkal recently impressed with a fine century on the fourth day of the unofficial Test against Australia A in Lucknow.