“He was deserving one more chance” - Karun Nair’s childhood coach opens up on his exclusion for West Indies Test series

Indian top-order batter Karun Nair’s childhood coach Vijay Madyalkar has opened up on his exclusion from the Indian Test squad for the forthcoming two-match series against West Indies, starting on October 2 in Ahmedabad.

Speaking to India Today, Vijay stated that he felt very bad for Karun Nair as he was deserving one more chance in the Indian team. However, he backed the selectors call. Notably, Nair had a tough England tour with indifferent stats.

“I felt very bad for him. He was deserving one more chance, that is what I feel. But, again, it is the selectors’ call. They think in a different way,” Vijay Madyalkar told India Today.

After making a Test comeback in England, Nair could score only 205 runs in four Tests, which includes a half-century. Interestingly, he was asked to bat in different batting positions throughout the series.

“He got a chance in tough conditions in England. In those conditions, what best one can do, he did it. He scored all those runs in India in the lead-up to his comeback. I think they should have given him a chance in India. He is best-suited for Indian conditions, as of now. In England, the conditions were not always easy for batting,” he said.

“He was comfortable playing there. He had played two seasons in the England county league. The only thing was that a big hundred didn’t come. But, he was involved in crucial partnerships throughout the series,” Vijay said.

“He will have more hunger now. When you go through highs and lows every season, you mature a lot as a cricketer. So, it becomes easier for him to prepare well and show that hunger. He will only become stronger. He has got that in him. He is raring to go again,” he concluded.

Representing Vidarbha in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, Nair accumulated 690 runs at an average of 45.51. He continued his good form in the 2024–25 season, amassing 863 runs in nine matches at 53.93, including a highest score of 135. In January 2025, he scored 542 runs without being dismissed in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

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