Karun Nair eyes redemption at Lord's as second chance at cricket nears expiry date

India Today

8 hours ago

"Dear Cricket, give me another chance," read a post on Karun Nair's X account (formerly Twitter) on December 10, 2022, as the India batter expressed his desperation to don the coveted Indian jersey once again. Fast forward to 2025, Nair has deservedly earned his place back in the Indian team, having been picked in the squad for the England tour on the back of some stupendous performances in domestic cricket.advertisementThe 33-year-old further cemented his place in the playing XI by scoring a sensational double hundred in the tour game. With that, the stage looked set for the return of the prodigal son of Indian cricket, as he embarked on a new chapter of his international career.Nair got an opportunity to let his bat do the talking on Day 2 of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. However, much to his dismay, he was dismissed for a four-ball duck on his international return. The second innings was a bizarre outing for the right-hander, as he batted at a strike rate of 37, scoring 20 off 54 balls while India looked to extend their lead beyond 400.
The second Test followed a similar script. Nair was dismissed for 31 in the first innings after a promising start, undone by a sharp bouncer from Brydon Carse. In the second innings, he once again fell to Carse-this time edging to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith after scoring 26.Time to repay management's trustHence, the star batter once again failed to make the most of the opportunity and was subjected to widespread trolling on social media. As Nair walks out to bat at Lord's in the third Test, his career could well be on the line, with bright prospects like Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan warming the bench.Nair could easily have faced the axe in the second Test itself, as India needed to accommodate all-rounder Washington Sundar in the playing XI. However, the team management continued to back the Vidarbha batter, which meant that 23-year-old Sai Sudharsan had to make way for Sundar after failing in his debut Test.Despite enjoying the backing of the team management, Nair has failed to repay the trust, with questions about his place growing louder with every low score. As the third Test draws near, the time on Nair's second chance at international cricket could well be running out if he fails to deliver once again.A comeback for the agesWith several youngsters knocking on the selectors' doors by plundering runs in domestic cricket—and a few already warming the bench—Nair's second innings at the international level faces the real danger of being declared early. The Rajasthan-born cricketer had to bat out of his skin to make his way back into the Indian team, with every shot from his willow chipping away at the towering wall that had long kept him out of the selectors' sight.advertisementNair was in the form of his life, producing a Bradmanesque run in the last domestic season. He played a pivotal role in Vidarbha's triumph in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, finishing as the fourth-highest run scorer of the season. He amassed 863 runs from 16 innings at an average of 53.93, including four centuries and two fifties.His exploits in the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy made people question the accuracy of his statistics, as he emerged as the tournament's highest run-scorer—racking up 779 runs from eight innings at a staggering average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04, featuring five hundreds and a fifty.Can Lord's bring the best out of Nair?The Vidarbha batter was sweating runs in pursuit of his elusive dream and understands the foundation on which his career has been rebuilt. As he arrives at the most prestigious venue in the cricketing world at a crucial juncture in his career, Nair finds himself with his back against the wall-another poor show could well mark the end of the road.advertisementHe's all too familiar with the agony a player endures after being shown the door, and the steep climb required to return to the reckoning. Hence, the time has come for Nair to finally repay the faith shown by the team management and do justice to the hard yards he's put in to once again wear the India badge on his shirt.Lord's has often been a venue that brings out the best in players, and now it's up to Nair to etch his name into the stadium's folklore-by earning a spot on the honours board and helping India take the lead in the series.- EndsMust Watch