Karun Nair to ditch Vidarbha for Karnataka after India comeback

Karun Nair has returned to the India National Cricket Team for the upcoming five-match Test series against England, starting on June 20 in Leeds. Karun Nair last played a Test for India in 2017 against Australia. He has played six Tests so far, scoring 374 runs at an average of 67.

He is also only the second Indian batter after Virender Sehwag to score a triple century in Test cricket. Well, Nair’s inspirational comeback story is incomplete without mentioning his bold move to leave Karnataka and join Vidarbha, which injected new life into his career.

After switching from Karnataka to Vidarbha in the 2023–24 domestic season, Nair found his form again. In the 2024–25 Ranji season, Nair was in top touch, scoring 863 runs in nine matches at an average of 54. His strong performances helped Vidarbha win their third Ranji Trophy title.

SHORTS

View More

Your daily dose of cricket!

Loading...

Karun Nair earns India recall after dominance in domestic cricket

In his first season with the Vidarbha team, the right-handed batter had already impressed with 690 runs in 10 games. His remarkable performances with Vidarbha have earned him a place in the Delhi Capitals squad, as he played in the IPL after a gap of three years in 2025.

Read Also: Watch: Suyash Sharma reveals real reason behind his fierce celebration vs PBKS in Qualifier 1

However, the 33-year-old could manage only 198 runs for Delhi Capitals across the eight games in the IPL 2025, but his domestic heroics with Vidarbha were enough to convince the national selector to select him in the India squad for the ongoing England tour.

He was not only selected for the India A squad for the two-match unofficial Test series against the England Lions but also for the 18-member squad for the upcoming five-match Test series. Well, as soon as he sported whites in England, the speculations took social media by storm that Nair was leaving the team that injected new life into his sinking career—Vidarbha.

Karun Nair likely to return to Karnataka for the upcoming domestic season

The DC batter is currently in action for India A in the first unofficial Test match against England Lions at St. Lawrence Ground, Canterbury.

Read Also: Jasprit Bumrah threatens Ben Stokes & Bazballers: "Anybody could run through and get wickets"

Amid the red-ball actions, a Revsportz journalist claimed that it is very likely that Karun Nair will return to play for Karnataka for the next domestic season.

He posted on X: "Break -Very likely Karun Nair to return to Karnataka in the upcoming domestic year"

Break -Very likely Karun Nair to return to Karnataka in the upcoming domestic year pic.twitter.com/p1UbqpLH5D

— Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) May 30, 2025

Why did Karun Nair leave the Karnataka team?

According to several media reports, the Vidarbha captain left the Karnataka team after struggling to get regular chances, especially in white-ball matches. He was also not happy with the lack of clear communication from the Karnataka selectors. Nair wanted a fresh start and more consistent playing time, which led him to join Vidarbha for better opportunities.

Speaking about the England Lions vs India A match, Nair has already smashed a fifty while batting at number three in Canterbury, and if he manages to maintain his form, he will certainly get the chance in India XI in the upcoming five-match Test series against England.

Presently, India’s score reads 131/2 in 38 overs against England Lions in the first unofficial Test at St. Lawrence Ground, Canterbury. The hosts had won the toss and invited India A to bat first on May 30.