Karun Nair’s omission was on expected lines, though fans still hoped he would be given another opportunity. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar made it clear that the team management had expected more from Nair during the recent England series, which ended in a 2-2 draw. The right-hander was tried at No. 3 and No. 6 but failed to make an impact, often appearing out of his depth.
Devdutt Padikkal, who was in excellent form against Australia A and hit a 150-run knock, was added to the West Indies squad in Nair's place.
Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan noted that from here onwards Nair may not make an international comeback while speaking on his YouTube channel.
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"Jurel played well against Australia A and now he has been rewarded with a berth in the squad. He was also in the team though. But Devdutt Padikkal, he got a huge knock vs Australia A and now he has got a chance. Karun Nair, who played only one series and was fine, he didn't play that good too. The team is looking beyond him.
"Now it feels like from here onwards, he won't get any more chances. But Padikkal is young and he will get more chances in the future. This is a clear indication", he said.
Nair was given another opportunity to resume his international career against England, which had ended following his triple ton against them in 2016. However, he was only able to score 205 runs at an average of 25.62 in eight innings during the four Tests he played in the five-match series.
In response to Nair's rejection, Agarkar stated at a press conference, “We expected more from Karun Nair in England. It cannot be about just one innings. Devdutt Padikkal offers more options to us. We want to give at least 15-20 chances to every player but it is not possible every time.”
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