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Indian Express
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
‘Honestly, I couldn't understand what was happening,' Karun Nair on being dropped from India team in 2018
Karun Nair who has made an incredible comeback to the Indian Test squad after a gap of seven years has termed the 2022 season, where he was dropped from Karnataka Ranji side was the darkest phase of his career. The middle-order batsman, who is in line to start the first Test at Leeds, which would be his first since March 2017, said the 2022 phase was worse than the time he was dropped from the Indian side. After scoring a triple century against England towards the end of 2016, Karun remained part of India's Test squads but never played a Test since the final Test against Australia in 2017. During the 2018 tour of England, he warmed the bench in each of the five Tests with India flying in Hanuma Vihari as a replacement player and playing him straight away. From there on his struggles continued before Karnataka dropped him from all squads in 2022. 'In terms of incidents, I would say, it was quite a dark place at the end of 2022. Very emotional phase for me. I think the toughest time for me. Even tougher than 2018, or whatever, whenever that was,' Nair said during an interaction with R Ashwin on his Youtube channel. Speaking about the time he was dropped from the India squad soon after scoring the triple-century, Karun lamented that he didn't have big scores to show during the Test series against Australia that followed soon after the England series. 'Honestly, I couldn't understand what was happening. Because after the 300 in Chennai, after the Australia series, I think the next series was in Sri Lanka in 2017. I wasn't part of that squad either. And from then on, I couldn't understand what was happening. Then I had to go back in domestic cricket. But if I look back and think that there is one side of me saying that 'yes, I didn't get too many opportunities'. But the other way I would also think is the four innings that I played against Australia, and I got a couple of starts. If I had just converted those starts into bigger scores, maybe I wouldn't be in this position or had to have gone through that,' Karun said. After moving to Vidarbha ahead of the 2023-24 season, Karun once again hit a purple patch, scoring consistently across formats. He scored 863 runs in Vidarbha's Ranji winning campaign in 2024/25 season which earned him a recall to India's Test squad for the tour of England. 'I think at the moment, at least I am very grateful. Like you said, I have gotten past that complaining stage. Very grateful to be in the situation that I am and I just treat every day as something that's given to me, and I am living my life and doing what I love,' Karun added.
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Back from brink: Mind coach recalls gritty Karun's fight to stay afloat after Test snub in 2018
Mullanpur , Karun Nair's fall into a world of despair back in 2018 is a well-documented tale of frustration but what pulled him out of that rut? The answer lies with Bengaluru-based mind coach Shree Advani, whom Karun consulted at his most vulnerable and the one who ensured that the talented batter did not allow his axing from the team, despite a rare triple ton in Tests, become a defining moment for his self-worth. Shree, brother of 28-time World Champion cueist Pankaj Advani, worked with Karun for a year and was left impressed with his dedication towards the game that had not returned his love back at the time. "We had to make him realise that the drop was not a reflection on his ability. And we had to keep the confidence in his ability high and make him understand that there is so much cricket left in him," Shree recalled in an interview to PTI, expressing his joy at Karun's comeback to the Test squad for the tour of England next month. Though he didn't do much wrong after becoming the second ever triple centurion from India in December 2016, Karun did not get too many chances the following year and when he warmed the bench for the entire tour of England in 2018, his frustration hit its peak. "Karun has gone through a lot in his career. After not getting opportunities on the entire tour of England, Karun was frustrated to say the least. It hit him hard and there were bound to be self doubts. You tend to question your self worth. Like 'what more do I need to do?'..." Shree remembered. However, the worst was yet to come as after COVID-enforced shutdowns, he was dropped from the Karnataka Ranji squad and his viral social media post, pleading for a chance to prove himself, followed. He was forced to move to Vidarbha where his career got a second wind that has now led to a Test comeback after eight years. Shree recalled the mind sessions with Karun between 2018 and 2019 and praised his ability to bounce back after hitting rock bottom. "But even at that time, his dedication towards the game stood out. My belief was that he is coming back stronger than ever," said Shree, who has worked with elite athletes from different sporting backgrounds. A forgotten notebook and red mustang ========================= Shree has lost count of the sessions he had with Karun but one interaction stays fresh in his mind. "So, he would take down notes during our sessions, which is something that I encourage. On that particular day, he left his notebook at home, he had driven down in his Mustang, which also got the number 303 . "When he realises he has forgotten the notebook, he drives back, picks it up, comes to see me. So, he was a very, very committed and dedicated student of the mind. And that is why I'm not surprised that he's, you know, right there at the top again, because of these kind of qualities," said Shree. The value of his 300 ============== Besides joining Virender Sehwag in the thin list of triple centurions in Tests, Karun also has a 300 to his name in Ranji Trophy. So, when he was suddenly out of selectors' radar, Shree felt it was important for him to stress on his glorious past. "...the 300 in Tests and Ranji, these things don't happen by chance. So, don't ever let a selector's decision define your calibre," the mind coach recalled telling him in one of the sessions. The chat with universe =============== "Dear Cricket, give me one chance," Karun had hopelessly written on Twitter in December 2022 after being dropped from the Karnataka squad. Now that the game has given him that chance, Shree reflected on Karun's state of mind at the time. "That tweet was him communicating with the universe more than the selectors. And, when you dial the universe, it picks up. It listens. It answers your call. And now that's exactly what has happened."
