What were the specific reasons behind Karun Nair's exclusion from the Duleep Trophy final?

Karun Nair was left out of the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone due to a tactical decision by captain Tilak Varma, who opted for a left-handed batter in the middle order instead.

How did Karun Nair respond to being snubbed for the Duleep Trophy final?

Karun Nair responded to his snub by scoring a century in a pre-season warm-up game, emphasizing his form and expressing his feelings about the decision on social media as 'inexplicable'.

What impact did Ishan Kishan's performance in the Duleep Trophy final have on his prospects for Test selection?

Ishan Kishan's exceptional performance, scoring 270 runs in the Duleep Trophy final, reignited discussions about his potential return to Test cricket, showcasing his intent to compete for a place in all formats.

Karun Nair responds to latest Duleep Trophy snub with century, then comes up with a pointed message

Karun Nair was not picked in both the last two Duleep Trophy games for South Zone.

Updated on: Sep 7, 2026, 21:49:17 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Veteran India batter Karun Nair was not picked in the playing XI for the South Zone side for a second straight Duleep Trophy game this season. After being snubbed for the semifinal against North Zone last week, Nair was once again left out of the XI for the final against East Zone. Nair, who has played 10 Tests for India and is the most experienced player in the current South Zone squad, responded with both a century and a pointed message.

Karun Nair was not picked for the Duleep Trophy final (PTI)

Ignored for the finale at the Chepauk, Nair showed up at the KSCA's pre-season warm-up game, featuring for Secretary XI against Chhattisgarh, and notched up a century. The knock underlined Nair's form and raised questions over South Zone's decision to leave out an experienced batter of his stature, especially with the team now facing the daunting task of matching East Zone's monumental 708 over the next three days.

ALSO READ: Ishan Kishan leaves darker days behind after epic 270: 'My job is to score, not keep expectations' amid Test return talk

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"Inexplicable would be an understatement," he wrote on X in response to a social media post that described his snub as “inexplicable.”

Why was Karun Nair not picked?

While South Zone did not reveal the reason for leaving Nair out of the final against East Zone, captain Tilak Varma had said his exclusion from the semifinal against North Zone was down to a tactical decision. South Zone had picked Kodimela Himateja in his place.

“Karun is just unlucky. He has scored a lot of runs in domestic seasons,” Tilak had said while addressing the media at the CoE. “I have chosen Himateja in place of Karun as they have good left-arm spinners. So we wanted a leftie in the middle order. He has also scored a decent amount of runs in domestic cricket. I was just backing him. As a youngster, he also has a good career. At the same time, it is very unfortunate for Karun.”

Himateja, however, did not make an impact in the semifinal, failing to score a single run. He was subsequently dropped for the final, with Devdutt Padikkal taking his place.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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