Karun Nair expresses gratitude on re-call for Indian Test team; says 'I was eagerly waiting for call'

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced an 18-member squad for India's tour of England. The five-match Test series will begin on June 20 and conclude on August 4. Karun Nair, the top-order batter made cut in the Indian Test team after his commendable performances in domestic cricket. The 33-year-old expressed his feelings after getting a recall from BCCI.

Karun Nair's remarkable domestic performances

Karun Nair played significant knocks in domestic cricket during the 2024-25 season. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Nair amassed 779 runs at an average of 389.50, guiding Vidarbha to the final clash. Even though they lost to Karnataka, his batting skills were highlighted. In the Ranji Trophy, he accumulated 863 runs in nine matches, powering Vidarbha to secure their third Ranji title after a near-miss in the previous season.

Karun Nair in IPL 2025

In the IPL 2025, Nair’s explosive 89 runs off 40 deliveries for Delhi Capitals, showcased his quality of being versatile by playing in different formats.

Karun Nair's batting position in the Test squad

Virat Kohli announced his retirement ahead of the Test squad announcement. This has left the No. 4 spot vacant and Karun with his experience can fill the void.

Nair came to know about his recall while preparing for an IPL match against Punjab Kings. He expressed gratitude after hearing the news.

"Grateful to get back. I am happy, proud and fortunate. Found out about the recall like all of you found out. I was eagerly waiting for the call, got a lot of messages from close ones," Karun Nair expressed.

"I have been batting well in the last 12–16 months. It's about keeping my processes the same and doing the same things that have worked for me," he was quoted as saying by Lokmat Times Nagpur.

Karun Nair stats

Karun has played 6 Test matches and has amassed 374 runs. He has smashed 1 century and has an average of 62.33. When it comes to ODIs, Karun played two ODIs and accumulated 46 runs.

Team India squad for England tour

Shubman Gill (Captain), Rishabh Pant (VC & WK), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

Schedule for India's Tour of England in 2025

1st Test: June 20–24, 2025, Headingley, Leeds, 3:30 PM IST

2nd Test: July 2–6, 2025, Edgbaston, Birmingham, 3:30 PM IST

3rd Test: July 10–14, 2025, Lord's Cricket Ground, London, 3:30 PM IST

4th Test: July 23–27, 2025, Old Trafford, Manchester, 3:30 PM IST

5th Test: July 31–August 4, 2025, Kennington Oval, London, 3:30 PM IST