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Karun Nair’s name was missing from the India A squad announced for the two unofficial four-day matches against Australia A in Lucknow, raising strong speculation that the 33-year-old batter may have played his final game in Indian colours. Once hailed as a promising long-format prospect, Nair’s exclusion could be the most definitive signal yet of his fall from the selectors’ radar.
The Karnataka batter had staged a comeback earlier this year in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy, the five-Test series in England, nearly nine years after his last match. However, his return was underwhelming. In six innings, he crossed fifty just once, squandering what may have been his last opportunity to revive his Test career.
Nair, who famously scored a triple century against England in 2016, was expected to feature in the India A squad as part of a long-format rebuilding phase, especially with the home Test season around the corner. But his omission is being viewed in cricketing circles as an unofficial closure to his international chapter.
It is, however, important to mention thatNair hurt his finger in the last Test he played at The Oval. Due to the same injury, he did not play any part in the Maharaja T20 League. Whether that played a part in his exclusion from the India A squad could not be confirmed. The BCCI press release did not mention anything about Nair’s recovery.
In his place, the selectors went with a mix of emerging and fringe players in the India A squad to face Australia A. Shreyas Iyer, who was sidelined from the Asia Cup T20I squad and the Test setup, has been named captain. He will lead the side in both matches scheduled from September 16 to 19 and September 23 to 26 at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium.
Among the other notable inclusions were Dhruv Jurel, who was appointed Iyer’s deputy. The young wicketkeeper-batter had impressed during the final Test of the England series and continues to be viewed as a long-term investment in red-ball cricket.
KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj are slated to join the squad for the second match, allowing them to gain match practice ahead of the home Test series against the West Indies and South Africa. Nitish Kumar Reddy also returns after recovering from a knee injury sustained during the England tour.
Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan, who narrowly missed a Test debut earlier this year, has been included following a prolific domestic season, including a 197 in the Duleep Trophy semifinal. Devdutt Padikkal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan and Delhi captain Ayush Badoni, who has earned his maiden India A call-up, make up a young but promising batting core.
The bowling unit features a mix of experience and youth. India pacers Prasidh Krishna and Khaleel Ahmed are joined by Punjab’s tall left-armer Gurnoor Brar and Vidarbha’s Yash Thakur. Among spinners, Vidarbha’s record-breaking Harsh Dubey, Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian, and Rajasthan’s Manav Suthar form a well-rounded attack.
Dubey had taken 69 wickets in Vidarbha’s triumphant Ranji Trophy campaign last season, the most by any bowler in a single season, further bolstering his case for higher honours.
The Australia A squad, meanwhile, includes several Test hopefuls and established names such as Todd Murphy, Cooper Connolly, Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas.
India A Squad:
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Abhimanyu Easwan, N Jagadeesan (WICKETKEPER), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (Vice-Captain and Wicketkeeper), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Harsh Dubey, Ayush Badoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Manav Suthar, Yash Thakur.
