Veteran batsman Karun Nair posted a cryptic message amid the Indian team’s struggles during the second and final Test against South Africa at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Monday, November 24. Former Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also reacted to Nair’s viral post on social media.
India’s consistent batting failures have sparked debate over the exclusion of homegrown performers like Karun Nair, Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran. It is noteworthy that all these players are known for handling spin well. The Indian team under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir is now on the verge of another elimination.
The silence of not being out adds its own sting – Karun Nair
Karun Nair gained attention on social media by sharing a cryptic message, a post which also caught the attention of Ravichandran Ashwin. His post reflects his disappointment at being left out of India’s squad for the home series against West Indies and South Africa.
With India’s middle-order struggling for consistency, many fans have questioned whether an experienced player like Nair should have been considered before new names like Sai Sudarshan or Dhruv Jurel.
Amidst this growing discussion, Nair shared a thoughtful line on X, describing how difficult it feels to watch from the sidelines. Nair wrote on
Adei https://t.co/PiLMwlYoCe
– Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) 24 November 2025
Nair returned to the Test team during the England tour, but was dropped again due to poor performances in the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy. He is working hard in domestic cricket in the hope of another opportunity.
We think Padikkal offers a little more – Ajit Agarkar on Karun Nair’s miss
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained why Karun Nair was left out of the West Indies series, saying the selectors were expecting a strong performance from him in his return to Test cricket.
Agarkar commented, “To be honest, we expected a little more from Karun. He played four Tests, and you talk about one innings. That’s the way it is. We think Padikkal offers something more this time. I wish we could have given everyone 15-20 Tests.”
Meanwhile, India faces uncertainty over the number 3 spot. Despite scoring 87 runs against the West Indies, Sudarshan was dropped for the South Africa Test. Washington Sundar batted at number 3 and top-scored in the Eden Gardens Test, but was later pushed to number 8 when Sudarshan returned to the XI.
Karun Nair in exceptional performance in Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season
Karun Nair has been in exceptional form in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season, scoring 602 runs at an average of over 100 in seven innings for Karnataka, including two centuries and two fifties. He is fourth among the players who have scored the most runs in the tournament.
His omission has raised questions, especially given India’s batting concerns. The last time India won a Test after conceding more than 400 runs in the first innings was in 2016, when Nair scored an unbeaten triple century against England in Chennai.
Meanwhile, India’s batting troubles continued in the ongoing second Test against South Africa. After an innings of 65 runs by Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, India was reduced to 122 runs for 7 wickets. Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav helped India reach 174 for 7 at lunch. Earlier, South Africa scored 489 runs in the first innings.
Also read: Usman Tariq joins elite list after taking hat-trick in tri-series clash against Zimbabwe
