The two-Test series versus West Indies at home is starting on fourth October and the selectors deserve kudos for finally getting new talents like Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal in the squad.
There had been a feeling that once again Shikhar Dhawan’s ODI success would get him yet another chance and same with Rohit Sharma. However the selectors seem to have resisted that temptation.
What is however extremely inexplicable and baffling is why Karun Nair is not in the squad. Especially since he was in the squad for the tough three-month tour of England and did not play a single match. How does one drop a player without giving him the chance to show his mettle, or lack of it .
Let us take the background behind Nair’s selection for the England series. It was an extended 18-member team for only three Tests and while there was back up for all including wicket-keeper, opener, spinners and pace bowlers, for the middle order too it was Nair who was the back up and who replaced Rohit Sharma in the squad.
The series did not proceed too well and a course correction was required after three Tests. However while an opener Murali Vijay was dropped and an opener Prithvi Shaw selected, strangely a batsman Hanuma Vihari was selected for the dropped spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Even more strangely it was Hanuma Vihari who played a Test match and not the first choice in the squad, Nair. This goes against all conventional logic.
Let us go back earlier to Karun Nair’s start in international cricket. In domestic cricket Karun was very successful. He had an average of over 55. He became only the first batsman to score a 300 in a Ranji trophy final in 68 years.
India’s Karun Nair (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)
In the previous Ranji season he had a successful outing with two centuries in back to back knockout matches and three back-to-back centuries overall. First class success was the reason for his entry to the Indian team, and at 23-24, time was on his side as well.
Karun started his Test career by getting run out for 4 and then having a low score of only 13 in his second innings in his second Test match. However in just his third Test match, in his third Test innings, Karun slammed an unbeaten 303.
England had scored a normally safe 477, but Karun’s knock took India to a 282-run lead, and as it turned out, to an unlikely win considering England’s substantial first innings total. Karun was the man of the match and became only the third player to convert his maiden Test ton into a 300, joining legend Garry Sobers and former Aussie captain Bob Simpson.
Unfortunately however Karun was dropped the Test after he scored a 300, becoming the first ever player to miss the next test for reasons other than injury.
Karun was certainly unlucky. The player coming back from injury, Ajinkya was preferred over him. Various examples were cited including the famous example of Stuart Law who played only one Test innings of 54 not out before giving way to Ricky Ponting.
There was a crucial difference. There is a difference between a 54 and a 300, a feat done made 30 times in over 2000 Test matches played so far.
Karun did get a chance later but scores of 26, 0, 23 and 5 versus Australia over three Test matches saw him dropped from the Indian team. It did seem after Rohit Sharma’s failures which led him to be dropped from the team to England that Karun’s career will get a fresh start, but as detailed above, that was not to be.
The latest is that there is a rumour floating around that Karun has attitude problems. If so, the same must be confirmed or denied by the team management.
MSK Prasad finally says that Karun is very much in the scheme of things for Test matches and as of now “we have advised him to focus on performing in domestic and India A matches. Easier said than done, Mr Chairman. Please understand a simple point – you don’t drop anyone without giving him a chance to prove himself.
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