Karnataka batter Karun Nair has publicly expressed his frustration after being excluded from South Zone’s playing lineup for the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone. When a social media post described his omission as “inexplicable,” Nair shared the comment with his own sardonic response, suggesting the characterization fell short of capturing his disappointment.
Nair was surprisingly left out of both the semi-final and final despite being part of the South Zone squad. Captain Tilak Varma had previously cited tactical reasons for the exclusion, noting that Nair was “just unlucky” and that the team opted for left-handed batter Kodimela Himateja to face opposition spinners. However, Himateja struggled with a two-ball dismissal and was subsequently dropped, with Devdutt Padikkal selected instead of recalling Nair.
The controversy intensified following South Zone’s bowling struggles in the final. East Zone accumulated 708 runs, with captain Ishan Kishan delivering a commanding 270-run innings. The decision to exclude Nair has drawn considerable scrutiny, particularly after he left the squad and scored a century for Karnataka’s state cricket association in a preparatory match.
South Zone has not provided detailed justification for keeping Nair out of the XI despite his domestic credentials and recent form. His pointed social media response reflects growing frustration over what appears to be a selection misstep, especially given the batting attack’s inability to contain East Zone’s dominant performance at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
About the Author
