Updated 10:59 IST, January 20th 2025
'Spot of KL Rahul And Shreyas Iyer...': Sunil Gavaskar on Why Karun Nair Was Ignored For India's Champions Trophy 2025 Squad
Eyebrows were raised when Karun Nair did not get picked for India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad.

Eyebrows were raised when Karun Nair did not get picked for India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad. That is because Nair got 779 runs in nine matches during Vijay Hazare Trophy. That included five centuries and a fifty. He was also the leading run scorer, and his batting average was a surreal 389.50. So, one felt he has a solid chance of getting picked. There were also murmurs about his selection doing the rounds. But then, when the team was announced - his name was missing. He last played an international match in 2017 under MS Dhoni 's leadership. So, why wasn't he picked?
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar reckons it was the right call taken by the management. As per Gavaskar, either Shreyas Iyer or KL Rahul had to be missing for him to make it.
“Where should they fit him?”
'“Where should they fit him? You could have taken the spot of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. KL will perform the role of second wicketkeeper-batter for this team, and his performance during the 2023 World Cup was good. I don’t think the Indian cricket team has played much ODI cricket after that. Shreyas Iyer has also performed well in the format. That is why Karun Nair has not been picked," Gavaskar said a media outlet.
“If his form during the Ranji Trophy remains the same, then it will be hard for Team India to not pick him during the upcoming Test tour of England," he added.
‘Yeah, it is tough’
“Yeah, it is tough. Those are really special performances. I mean, someone who averages 700-plus, 750-plus (before the Vijay Hazare final). We did have a chat (about Karun). But at the moment, to find a spot in this team is very difficult. I mean, look at the guys who’ve been picked," he concluded.
India will play it's Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh in Dubai.
Published 10:55 IST, January 20th 2025