Karun Nair remains optimistic about the possibility of reviving his Test career, despite being excluded from the Champions Trophy 2025 selection earlier this month. The batter from Vidarbha and India, who last participated in a Test match in 2017, has been in remarkable form in domestic cricket and is confident that he still has an opportunity to represent India in the longer format.

Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector of the BCCI, acknowledged that Nair's name was brought up during the squad selection discussions; however, he ultimately did not secure a place in the prestigious tournament. Nevertheless, Nair is determined to pursue his long-term ambition of rejoining the Test team.

"To be honest, before the tournament, I wasn't focused on that. It felt quite distant for me. However, as I mentioned, one has dreams and aspirations, and you wishes to accomplish certain things. Yet, you do not think, 'I will make it.' Instead, you think, 'I aspire to make it.' The actual realization of that aspiration remains uncertain," Nair expressed in an interview with Sports Today.

Nair's exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad occurred despite his outstanding performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he scored an impressive 779 runs in eight innings, averaging 389.50, with five centuries and one half-century. His exceptional performance made him the leading run-scorer in the tournament and sparked renewed conversations regarding his potential return to international cricket.

"I continue to dream of playing Test cricket for India. I have expressed this in numerous interviews. Honestly, that was my sole focus. I wasn't even contemplating being mentioned or considered for the Champions Trophy squad, so I feel truly grateful for that," Nair concluded.

Dropped soon after triple century

The 32-year-old batsman is primarily recognized for his remarkable unbeaten score of 303 against England in Chennai in 2016, making him only the second Indian cricketer to achieve a triple-century in Test matches, following Virender Sehwag. Nevertheless, his international career did not gain significant momentum after this achievement, and he has not been part of the Indian team since 2017.

Despite these challenges, Nair remains determined to advance, earning accolades from cricketing icons. Recently, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar praised Nair’s performances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

"It was an incredible experience to receive recognition from my childhood idol. That moment was truly special. I am immensely grateful to him for taking the time to share that message. I feel fortunate to have received such encouraging words from him. However, I must continue to perform consistently. Each match and every innings are crucial, and that is where my focus lies," Nair stated.

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