Karun Nair fails to pay ‘dear cricket’ on Test returns after 8 years.

Karun Nair had waited for nearly a decade to re-enter India’s Test team. During this time, he had his share of ups and downs. At one point, Nair even struggled to regularly make his domestic side. But after switching states and an impressive turnaround in the last 12 months, the 33-year-old got the selectors by his side.

Nair not only made India A’s side but also the main team. Fascinatingly, it was a tour of England that had seen him leave the Indian team. And as luck would have it, it would be England against whom he was to get a second crack at Test cricket. His 2022 tweet, where he asked dear cricket to give him a chance, had come true.

Headingley Test ends in disappointment for Karun Nair

However, things haven’t gone so well for Nair on his return. Feeling the nerves, he scored a 4-ball duck in the first innings. But it wasn’t over. Nair had another chance. He had come out to bat in a favourable situation in the first innings but failed to make it count.

And cricket gods gave him yet another opportunity. But Nair has failed once again. With the scorecard reading 287/4, he walked in to join KL Rahul. The opener had already scored a hundred. The lead was 293. Nair couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity.

But he was tentative. The fear of failure was playing on his mind. He defended and defended. By the time the new ball was taken by England, he had gotten his eye in. This was his test. And now, he seemed to start feeling it. Nair had reached 19, but Rahul departed in the 85th over.

And it was his job to continue with Ravindra Jadeja. But in the very next over, he hit a full ball in the slot to drive it into the hands of Chris Woakes. And an easy caught and bowled chance that Woakes didn’t miss. Nair stood there in disappointment. He couldn’t believe what he’d done. A 20-run knock was all he could muster.

Dear cricket gave Nair a chance, but so far he hasn’t been able to make it count. He’ll hope that the management trusts him again in the remaining 4 matches of the India vs England Test series.