NEW DELHI: Eight lengthy years — or 3,011 days to be actual — that’s how lengthy Karun Nair waited to stroll out in an India Check jersey once more. However the fairy story comeback didn’t unfold the best way he had imagined. On his much-anticipated return to Check cricket, Karun lasted simply 4 balls, dismissed for a duck.England captain Ben Stokes was the social gathering spoiler. He delivered a full outswinger, extensive of off stump — tempting Karun right into a drive. However the right-hander wasn’t totally dedicated to the shot. As an alternative of discovering the hole, the ball flew off the bat and straight into the arms of Ollie Pope at brief cowl, who pulled off a spectacular catch — diving full stretch to his left, each arms overhead, almost horizontal to the bottom.Karun, who etched his title into Indian cricket historical past with a surprising triple century towards England in Chennai again in December 2016, had final performed a Check in 2017. Since then, he toiled away in home cricket, patiently ready for a comeback. “Expensive cricket, give me yet another probability,” he usually reminded himself.
He let his bat do the speaking within the 2024–25 season — amassing 863 runs in 9 Ranji Trophy video games with 4 centuries, and 779 runs in eight Vijay Hazare Trophy innings, together with 5 tons. His perseverance was lastly rewarded when the BCCI picked him for the five-match Check collection in England.Nair, India’s 287th Check cricketer, obtained his comeback cap from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar — a second he’ll all the time cherish, even when the script on the sphere didn’t fairly go his approach.