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'Never understood how he was dropped after a triple century.'
India and Vidarbha batter Karun Nair has hit a purple patch with a dream run in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Amazed by his run of form, Nair says he is taking it a game at a time and is not getting ahead of himself as far a return to India's Test fold is concerned.
In an interview with ESPNCricinfo, Nair reflected on his struggle to reach back on top, which also included a stint with minor county stint with Burbage & ER Cricket Club in East Wiltshire before his joining Vidarbha,
'I think, quite honestly, it is even amazing to myself also to look at the results that are coming about currently. But I would say the only thing I am focused on is cherishing each moment and being present in that particular game. I am not thinking about the past or the future; I am thinking about only that game and playing as though that is the most important innings of my career,' he said.
'I do not think in these six matches (of Vijay Hazare Trophy), it has ever come across to my mind that I have so many runs so I can play however the way I want. Yes, obviously, I would be lying if I say I have not thought about the dark days, but I have managed to control those thoughts and kind of rein myself in and say the team needs something else for me and I need to stay there till the end and make sure that I cross the line.'
'As soon as there is a stage where I know I am confident that we are through, then that is when I play a little more freely and attacking.
'So really, I would say it is the process that I followed this year and the last probably is 12-16 months where I've been very thoughtful in each and every game that I have played. I have made sure that it is the most important moment in my career and made sure that I have taken that to every single inning that I have played,' Nair explained.
Nair has been the top run-getter in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 664 runs in six innings, averaging 664 because of being dismissed only once.
He has made five centuries and struck at 120.07. In 2024, Nair was the ninth-highest run-getter in first-class cricket, having made 1,466 runs at an average of 44.42, with four centuries and seven fifties in 34 innings with the best score of 202*.
With Nair's name is now doing the rounds for a Test recall for India's tour of England later this year, the batter has received a vote of confidence from former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh.
'I'm looking at his stats. In 2024/25, he played six innings, remained not out in 5, scoring 664 and that was his average. And he's played at a strike rate of 120. And they don't pick him. It's unfair,” Harbhajan said on his official YouTube channel.
"Many are selected on the basis of just two games, some are just selected basis the IPL. So, why are rules different for him? People say Rohit and Virat are out of form, and you're sending them to Ranji. But those who are playing Ranji and scoring runs… why are you ignoring them? When will these guys play? They are scoring runs here.
'I never understood how he was dropped after a triple century. It pains me that no one talks about players like him,' he added.
Nair, now playing for Vidarbha since 2023, had a steep fall from being India's second triple centurion in Tests back in 2016 to not even being considered for selection by his state, Karnataka.
However, a chat with former Indian cricketer Abey Kuruvilla during the DY Patil tournament in early 2023 helped him find his new home in Vidarbha during the 2023-24 season. Since then, he has been piling runs everywhere, irrespective of the format.
He also scored heavily for Northamptonshire in county cricket, scoring 487 runs in seven matches at an average of 48.70 with a century and three fifties in 11 innings.
Nair's T20 game went on an upward trajectory as well. He topped the run-charts in the Maharaja T20 Trophy by Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), scoring 560 runs in 12 matches at an average of 56.00, a strike rate of over 181, with a century and five fifties in 12 innings with the best score of 124.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy he amassed 255 runs in six innings at an average of 42.50, with three half-centuries and a strike rate of over 177.
Nair was also brought back to Delhi Capitals during the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction last year, a team he once captained briefly. He was unsold during the 2023 auction. Nair feels that tough times are over and there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Seven years after being left out after spending an entire summer in the UK sitting in reserves during the 2018 India tour of England, Nair is now on the cusp of a comeback but he is realistic.
"I am quite relaxed actually. I would not be lying if I forgot about everything. But I do not know, the way I feel about my game, in the mind, the way I go about things -- it is just different. I just feel different every single day I wake up," he said.
"I am only trying to shift my focus on winning games for my team and performing along the way. Basically, I'm only thinking about that at the moment, which is kind of the right thing to do. Quite honestly, I do not know how close I am (to being in contention for the national. team). Like I said, again, I just want to take it one game at one time. But yeah, I do not know," he added.