Ajit Agarkar reveals why Karun Nair got selected, justifies Sarfaraz Khan's snub for England Tests

The Ajit Agarkar-headed Indian selection committee has left out Sarfaraz Khan from the Test squad and brought back Karun Nair for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, and that decision raised many eyebrows. Later, Agarkar revealed the reason behind the move.

The Indian chief selector admitted that the decision to overlook Sarfaraz Khan wasn’t easy, but it was made keeping in mind the team’s needs on the upcoming England tour. Karun Nair, who last played for India in 2017, has been handed a surprising recall, thanks to his red-hot form in domestic cricket and his added experience in county and Test cricket.

Karun Nair recalled, Sarfaraz Khan snubbed for England Tests

With Virat Kohli unavailable after taking retirement from Test cricket, India needed someone with experience in the middle order, and the selectors have felt that Nair is the best option to fill that void, at least in terms of experience, as the team is set for the “massive transition.”

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While many expected that Sarfaraz would retain his place in the Test squad, the chief selector pointed out that the Mumbai star failed to deliver after scoring a century on debut, and when they had a better option in Nair, there was no question of ignoring the experienced and informed batter.

Ajit Agarkar defends Sarfaraz Khan's snub, backs Karun Nair’s experience

Agarkar said that sometimes difficult calls have to be made, especially when team balance and experience become crucial for the tough overseas tours like England. India will face England in a five-match Test series, starting on June 20.

Ajit Agarkar said at the press conference at the BCCI headquarters, “Sometimes you just have to make good decisions. Sarfaraz Khan, I know he got a 100 in the first Test and then didn’t get runs. Sometimes it’s decisions the team management takes.

At the moment, Karun has scored heaps of runs in domestic cricket, has played a bit of Test cricket, and has played a bit of county cricket. With Virat not there, clearly, we’re lacking a bit of experience. We felt his experience could help.”

Read Also: Sarfaraz Khan namedrops Virat Kohli, breaks silence on improving fitness as BCCI ignores him for ENG Tests

Ajit Agarkar says Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy add fire and flexibility to India’s Test squad

Meanwhile, India’s Test squad for the England tour has a few surprises, including Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, has backed both players strongly, saying Shardul has been picked because he can bowl and bat.

The former Indian pacer has mentioned that Shardul’s all-round skills give the national team better balance, especially in England, where conditions help fast bowlers. Shardul has also been named in India’s A squad, and that will help him to adjust to the English conditions before the main Test series.

India needs bowling all-rounders: Agarkar on Shardul Thakur-Nitish Kumar Reddy's selection

Furthermore, Agarkar said that Nitish Kumar Reddy, who impressed in the IPL as well as during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia, is seen as a batting all-rounder for now. He noted that the selectors believe that Reddy has the talent to grow, and his bowling can improve with time.

Agarkar signed off by saying, “Shardul a bowling allrounder, sometimes you need a player like that depending on team balance. he’s going on the A tour as well. NKR is a batting allrounder at this point, hopefully his bowling will come along as well.”