Just hours after being left out of India’s squad for ICC Champions Trophy 2025, Vidarbha captain Karun Nair ended his outstanding Vijay Hazare Trophy run with a 27-run innings in the final against Karnataka. Nair, who had scored 752 runs in seven matches before the final, was dismissed by a great delivery from pacer Prasidh Krishna, as he failed to score big in the finale. The ball stayed low and nipped back sharply, hitting the stumps and ending Nair’s innings.
Nair’s dismissal shook innings for Vidharbha
Nair’s dismissal left Vidarbha at 88/2 while chasing 349 runs against Karnataka in the final. Earlier in the match, Ravichandran Smaran hit a century, helping Karnataka reach 348/6 in their 50 overs. Contributions from Krishnan Shrijith and Abhinav Manohar, who both scored half-centuries, also pushed Karnataka to a high total.
Nair’s exclusion raises question
Karun Nair’s exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad has led to questions about the importance of high scores in domestic cricket. Ajit Agarkar, head of BCCI’s selection committee, acknowledged the difficulty of including Karun in the 15-member squad. Agarkar stated, “Yeah, it is tough. Those are really special performances. I mean, someone who averages – 700-plus, 750-plus. We did have a chat (about Karun).” But he noted that finding a spot is difficult due to the high averages of the selected players, who all perform well above mid-40s. “But those performances (like Karun) certainly make you take notice,” he added.
Karun Nair’s performance in Vijay Hazare Trophu: A dream run
Karun Nair finished Vijay Hazare Trophy as the top scorer of the tournament. In 8 innings, he scored 779 runs at an impressive average of 389.5, with 5 centuries and an outstanding strike rate of 123.55.
| Innings | Runs | Average | Centuries | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 779 | 389.5 | 5 | 123.55 |
Team composition
In domestic cricket, Karun usually bats at No. 3 and sometimes at No. 4 or 5, depending on conditions. However, these spots in the Indian team are filled by Virat Kohli, a one-day legend, Shreyas Iyer, who averages close to 50 in ODIs, and either KL Rahul, a versatile 50-over player who can also keep wickets, or Rishabh Pant, an explosive left-handed batter and the primary wicketkeeper-batsman.
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