Karun Nair hits back at Ajit Agarkar’s ‘expected better’ remark after India Test team snub: ‘Few individuals in the team told me…’

Divy Dubey

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Karun Nair hits back at Ajit Agarkar’s ‘expected better’ remark after India Test team snub: ‘Few individuals in the team told me…’ image

(getty)

Karun Nair's Test comeback story took another twist this month. After a seven-year break from red-ball cricket at the highest level, he earned a recall for the England series — a second chance built on strong domestic form.

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After he had a mixed performance in the series, the selectors left him out of the squad for the West Indies Tests, and again from the India 'A' setup against South Africa. 

Karun Nair responds to Ajit Agarkar's reason for dropping him from India Test team

After chief selector Ajit Agarkar said the selectors had "expected a little bit more" from Nair during the England Tests, the 33-year-old seemed determined to answer through performances rather than words.

His unbeaten 174 against Goa was a reminder of the consistency that earned him a recall in the first place, following two prolific Ranji seasons where he scored over 1,500 runs for Vidarbha.

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Speaking to reporters after the innings, Nair admitted the exclusion stung.

"It's quite disappointing (being dropped), but I know that I deserve to be there after the last two years I have had. People might have their opinions, but personally, I think I deserve a lot better," he said.

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While Nair avoided commenting directly on the communication gap with the selectors, he did offer a glimpse into what went on behind the scenes.

"Few individuals in the team have had good conversations with me about how they feel and that's about it," he said.

Still, he remains focused on what he can control. "All I can do is keep scoring runs, that's my job. I keep telling myself I deserve more than a series. The goal is always to play for the country."

As Nair continues to score in domestic cricket, his performances will keep the door open for another national recall — especially if consistency remains his answer to criticism.

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Contributing Writer