Karun Nair's ribs injured in India Nets; Injury scare right before Leeds Test

Team India middle-order batter Karun Nair suffered an injury during nets ahead of the highly anticipated five-match Test series against England, led by Ben Stokes. The injury occurred just two days before the start of the first Test, which is set to commence at Headingley in Leeds on Friday, June 20.

Karun Nair earned a place in India’s Test squad for the England tour after an eight-year absence. He returned to the team following the Test retirements of senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The 33-year-old cricketer strengthened his selection with an impressive run in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season.

India Begins Preparations in England Ahead of Test Series Opener

India are in England and actively preparing for the upcoming Test series. As part of the preparation, India A played two unofficial Tests against the England Lions, with several players from the senior squad also taking part to gain valuable match practice.

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Karun Nair returned to the Test setup after eight years. The right-handed batter impressed with the bat, scoring 259 runs in three innings at an average of 86.33, including a double century in the first match.

Nair justified his recall with his impressive batting. He is expected to bring both experience and stability to India’s middle order. Sai Sudharsan and Karun are competing for a place in the playing XI.

Karun Nair Hit by Prasidh Krishna During Net Session at Headingley

During a practice session at Headingley ahead of the opening Test, Karun Nair took a blow to his side from a delivery by pacer Prasidh Krishna in the nets. According to RevSportz, the impact left a visible mark on Nair's torso, as seen in the image where support staff checked on him.

However, the situation wasn’t serious, as the mood remained light after brief medical attention, with Nair and his teammates sharing laughs.

Watch the picture of the same posted by RevSportz Global on X (formerly known as Twitter).

"🚨 #KarunNair got hit by Prasidh Krishna at the nets in Headingley. Nothing serious as there laughs after a small medical attention," RevSportz wrote on X.

🚨 #KarunNair got hit by @prasidh43 at the nets in Headingley.

Nothing serious as there laughs after a small medical attention.@RohanDC98 📸 #ENGvsIND pic.twitter.com/aVIJpnapV5

— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) June 18, 2025

Karun Nair’s Switch to Vidarbha in Domestic Cricket Revives Career

Karun Nair’s decision to move from Karnataka to Vidarbha ahead of the 2023-24 domestic season proved to be a key turning point in his career. Nair scored 690 runs in 10 first-class games, including two centuries and three half-centuries.

He had an even more impressive 2024-25 season, scoring 863 runs in nine matches and playing a crucial role in Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy triumph. These consistent performances earned him a spot in both the India A side and the senior squad for the 2025 tour of England.

With Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket, former India captain Anil Kumble has suggested Nair as a strong contender for the vacant No. 4 spot.

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