The omission of Karun Nair from the ICC Champions Trophy squad emerged as a significant topic during the press conference held by India’s captain Rohit Sharma and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar on Saturday. Nair, who last represented India in a Test match in March 2017, has been in exceptional form during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 50-over tournament. Former spinner Harbhajan Singh raised a pertinent question regarding the value of participating in domestic cricket if outstanding performances are not acknowledged.

"Is there any merit in playing domestic cricket when players are not selected based on their form and performance? #KarunNair," Harbhajan remarked in a post on his X account. Nair, who has relocated his domestic cricket career to Vidarbha, has delivered remarkable performances in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, amassing 752 runs in 7 matches at an extraordinary average of 752, which includes five centuries.

Despite these impressive statistics, Nair was not selected, as the selectors opted for KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant for the middle-order positions.

Ajit Agarkar on why India didn't select Karun Nair

Agarkar recognized Nair's impressive average but emphasized the challenge of accommodating all players in the squad. "Those are indeed remarkable performances, and when someone averages around 700 or 750, we certainly had discussions regarding it. However, securing a place in this team is currently quite challenging," Agarkar stated during the press conference.

Nair's remarkable achievements led Vidarbha to the tournament final against Karnataka, which commenced shortly after the press conference. Unfortunately, Nair was unable to make an impact this time, being dismissed by Prasidh Krishna for 27 runs off 31 balls. Nevertheless, his performance throughout the season has garnered significant attention, with cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar describing his contributions as "nothing short of extraordinary."

Read Also: Irfan Pathan Expresses Disappointment Over Sanju Samson's Exclusion from Champions Trophy Squad

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