A significant and positive development was witnessed in the first Test match against England – the sensational return of Karun Nair to the Test team. After a long absence, Karun Nair not only secured a place in the Indian Test squad but also directly in the playing eleven.
Sports News: Indian Test team batsman Karun Nair has once again made his powerful presence felt in the cricketing world. His inclusion in the Indian playing eleven for the first Test against England surprised everyone, not just with his batting, but also with a unique world record. Nair has now become the player with the most missed international matches.
This achievement belongs to a player who once grabbed headlines by scoring a triple century for India and then abruptly disappeared from the team.
The First Player to Miss 402 International Matches
Karun Nair debuted in Test cricket in 2016 and in the same year scored a triple century (303)* against England. He became only the second Indian player to achieve this feat (after Virender Sehwag). Despite this, he didn't get a consistent place in the team and was soon dropped.
After 8 years, he returned to the Indian Test team, simultaneously setting a unique record. Nair missed 402 international matches for India, the highest number of matches missed by any player. Previously, this record was held by West Indies player, Ryan Amrit, who missed 396 matches.
IPL and Domestic Cricket Pave the Way for a Comeback
Karun Nair's return wasn't accidental. He consistently scored runs while playing for Karnataka in domestic cricket. Furthermore, he played useful innings in the middle order for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. These performances caught the selectors' attention, leading to his inclusion in the squad for the Test series against England. Importantly, he was not only selected for the team but also directly included in the playing eleven – a testament to his struggle and perseverance.
Karun Nair's Test career has been an unfortunate story. He scored 374 runs in 6 Test matches, with 303 runs coming in a single innings. Despite this, he didn't consistently get opportunities. He is the only player with a Test average above 60 who was dropped from the team early on.
He also played 2 One Day Internationals, scoring 46 runs, but didn't get a long run there either. This is perhaps why his return has become such a topic of discussion.
