Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra shared his views on Karun Nair’s omission from India’s ODI squads for the upcoming home series against England and ICC Champions Trophy 2025 which might not sit well with many.
Karun Nair has impressed one and all with his incredible performances in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, where he finished as the leading run-scorer with 779 runs with the help of five hundreds in just eight innings at an overwhelming average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.
Following his record-breaking performance in the 50-over tournament, many have been called for his India return for the upcoming three-match ODI series and ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Unfortunately, the Indian selectors ignored the Vidarbha captain for the India regulars.
Aakash Chopra defends Indian selectors’ decision to ignore Karun Nair for ICC Champions Trophy 2025
The BCCI and Indian selectors’ decision to ignore Karun Nair for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025 was slammed by many former cricketers and fans, but Aakash Chopra felt it was a fair call to invite more criticism. The commentator believes that the selectors made no incorrect decisions.
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Aakash Chopra said that Karun Nair’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 campaign was outstanding, but it won’t be fair to others to be overlooked for a player based on a strong showing in just one tournament for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
In a video posted on his YouTube channel, the cricket pandit has explained that why Nair failed to replace the established players like KL Rahul and Shubman Gill in the 15-member squad for the upcoming assignments. Defending the national selectors’ decision, Chopra has stressed that consistent performances are crucial for India selection, not just one tournament.
How can be someone picked based on one Vijay Hazare performance? – Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra said in his YouTube video: “There is an ongoing crusade that Karun Nair should have been in the team. Since he has scored so many runs, he said he is not knocking at the door but just breaking it down. I saw somewhere that it was said that KL Rahul should be dropped. He has an average of 58 at Nos. 4 and 5. He played well in the World Cup.”
The former Indian batter further explained, “Someone said Shubman Gill should be dropped. It’s a joke going on that someone who has been performing consistently should be kicked out and someone else should be brought in. Karun Nair’s one-year Vijay Hazare performance has been outstanding. Such performances should definitely be noticed, but are you going to pick someone based on one Vijay Hazare performance? Will it be right as it’s just one tournament?”
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Aakash Chopra highlights Karun Nair’s numbers in the past two Vijay Hazare Trophy seasons to prove his point
Justifying the selectors’ call, Chopra has highlighted Nair’s numbers in the last two Vijay Hazare Trophy seasons, where he could manage only 230 runs at an average of 46 in the last season, and he was dropped by Karnataka in the previous season.
He signed off by saying, “He had almost left cricket, but the family asked him to play by going to a different place and finding new pastures.” Notably, Nair last played for India in 2017, and he has played just two ODIs so far, scoring 46 runs at an average of 23.00.
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