India are scheduled to host West Indies for a two-match Test series starting on October 2 and theBCCIhas announced the 15-member squad for the upcoming series. Shubman Gill will continue to lead India in the red-ball while Ravindra Jadeja has been appointed as vice-captain as Rishabh Pant wasn’t available for the selection due to toe injury. The one name which was a part of the Test series against England but didn’t get a place in the 15-men lineup for the home Test series against the Windies was Karun Nair.
The right-hander finally made his comeback for the Indian Test team after eight years as he was picked for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. However, he couldn’t capitalize on the second chance as he scored 205 runs from fours matches at an average
of 25.62 along with one fifty. Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar also said that the management expected more from him in England but he didn’t deliver. In his place, the management called Devdutt Padikkal back in the Test squad. "Frankly, we expected a little bit more from Karun. He played four Tests, and you spoke about one innings. That's the way it is. We feel Padikkal offers a little bit more at this point. Wish we could give everyone 15-20 Tests. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way,” Agarkar said.
I thought I contributed to the team: Karun Nair
A day after the announcement of the Indian squad, Karun Nair finally broke the silence on his snub from the Test side ahead of the series against West Indies. The right-hander said that he expected to get selected. He said he performed for the Indian team and scored a fifty in winning cause.
“Yes, I did expect the selection. I don’t know what to say. No words. You should probably ask the selectors what they are thinking,” he told the Times of India. He also highlighted his contribution in the final Test: “In the last Test match, I scored a fifty when no one else managed in the first innings. I thought I contributed to the team, especially in the last game that we won. But it is what it is,” Nair was quoted as saying by Zee News.
