Very fortunate to get this opportunity again, Karun Nair says on India Test recall

Dubai: Karun Nair who made a comeback to the Indian team for the England series said he was very fortunate to get this opportunity again.

"Feels very special, very grateful, very fortunate to be able to get this opportunity again. Really looking forward to grabbing this opportunity with both hands. I am sure there will be a lot of feelings, ones I cannot express right now. It will be a special feeling," the right-hander told in a video posted on Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) X handle.

Nair, who is making his return to the national side after eight years, had a dream domestic season last year. The 33-year-old was a star batter for Vidarbha star scoring 863 runs in Ranji Trophy 2024-25, with an average of 53.93, four centuries and two fifties in 16 innings across nine matches.

His best score of 135 came in the final and his team emerged victorious. During the warm-up unofficial Tests for India A against England Lions, he scored 259 runs in three innings, including a double ton.

A massive highlight of his season was the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament, where he top-scored with 779 runs in nine matches and eight innings at a stunning average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04, with five centuries and a fifty and best score of 163*.He played a massive role in his team's run to the finals, where they lost to his former team, Karnataka.

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 competition, Nair made 255 runs in six innings, averaging 42.50 at a strike rate of 177.08, with three half-centuries and the best score of 77. His team was knocked out in the quarterfinals.

Nair had last played a Test for India in March 2017 against Australia and did not get any chances as his form tapered off after a triple ton against England at Chennai in 2016. He has played six Tests overall, having made 374 runs in seven innings.

He also received a special message from his ex-Karnataka teammate and close friend, KL Rahul.

"I have known him for a very long time. The months he spent here in UK playing cricket and how hard, how lonely it was and for him be able to do all of that and come back into the team is special for him, his family and friends like us who have seen his journey. It is really inspiring. We hope his experience and learning from county cricket here will hold him in good stead and he plays Test matches," he said.

India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav.