Explained: Why Are India Unlikely To Pick Karun Nair For Champions Trophy 2025?



Karun Nair is in sublime form in VHT [Source: @OneCricketApp/X]Karun Nair is in sublime form in VHT [Source: @OneCricketApp/X]

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India's former Test batter Karun Nair has grabbed the limelight with a string of jaw-dropping performances in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy competition. Nair, who is leading Vidarbha in the tournament, has amassed 752 runs at a blistering strike rate of 125.96. 

So, considering his extraordinary form, fans and experts have demanded his inclusion in India's Champions Trophy 2025 squad. However, there are several reasons why Nair might not find a place in the team, which will be declared today. 

3 Reasons Why India Won't Likely Pick Karun Nair For Champions Trophy

No Vacancy At Top Order

  • Karun Nair has been Vidarbha's mainstay in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy competition, amassing 752 runs in just seven innings. However, it's worth mentioning that he has recorded stunning numbers while batting at number three in the tournament. 
  • The Vidarbha skipper has batted at number three, where India have the legendary Virat Kohli to anchor the innings. Although Kohli didn't live up to the expectations in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, it will make little sense if we doubt his credentials as an ODI batter based on his prolonged lean patch in red-ball cricket. 
  • Kohli hasn't been a remarkable Test batter for quite a while now. However, he is India's second most successful ODI batter after Shubman Gill since 2020, having struck 2297 runs, including seven tons, at an average of 51.04 and a strike rate of 94.87. Therefore, it actually doesn't seem logical to take an emotion-backed decision and get Nair back into the team based on his Vijay Hazare Trophy exploits. 

Iyer, Pant Or KL; Who Will You Remove?

  • Talking about India's middle-order, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant are fighting for two available slots, with Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar likely to be picked as the multi-dimensional cricketers. 
  • While Iyer averages 50.25 in 40 ODIs since 2022, Rahul and Pant are India's probable wicket-keepers for the Champions Trophy. Therefore, it's highly unlikely that the Men in Blue will give Nair a wild card entry into the squad at the expense of any of these three players. 

Can Karun Nair Be Included Among Backups?

  • If there's no vacancy in the first-choice playing XI, you might think India could pick Karun Nair among the backups for the Champions TrophyHowever, with injury threats looming over several bowling options, particularly Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav, the selectors might be inclined more towards bowlers and all-rounders than a specialist batter for the reserve options. 
  • Also, as India's premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya has had an injury-prone career, the think tank could give Nitish Reddy a wild card entry into the squad as his backup. So, in either case, the chance of Karun Nair's inclusion in India's Champions Trophy squad seems bleak.