Karun Nair returns to India’s Test XI after 3,010 days, featuring in the Headingley Test against England from June 20.
Nair made a return to the India Test team after an eight-year hiatus. Since hammering a triple-century against England in just his third Test in 2016, he played three more matches in the format, with his last one coming in 2017. Having made a switch from Karnataka to Vidarbha for the 2023-24 domestic season, Nair scored 863 runs in nine first-class matches at an average of 54, helping his team win the third Ranji trophy title. His experience in the county circuit, in which he amassed 863 runs at 53.93, also contributed to his comeback since India’s batting order underwent a rejig after several seniors retired.
He left no stone unturned, scoring a 204 off 281 balls in the first unofficial Test between India A and England Lions ahead of the main series. This performance made it difficult for the selectors to ignore him for the opening Test at Leeds.
This is Karun Nair and he is 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗼! 👍 👍#TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @karun126
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 20, 2025
Also read: Why India fans shouldn't get too excited by Karun Nair's double hundred against England Lions
Longest gaps between Test appearances
Since playing his last Test against Australia in March 2017, Nair is making a comeback to the Test format after a gap of 77 Tests played by India. Parthiv Patel (83 Tests between 2008 and 2016), Dinesh Karthik (87 Tests between 2010 and 2018) and Jaydev Unadkat (118 between 2010 and 2022) have had a longer gap among Indians. Unadkat's span of 118 missed Test matches is also the second-most overall. The world record is held by off-spinner Gareth Batty, who missed 142 Tests for England between 2005 and 2016.
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