"If I Am Being Honest...": Karun Nair's Honest Take On Champions Trophy Snub

Vidarbha captain Karun Nair has opened up on his exclusion from India's squad for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Nair scored more than 700 runs in the recently-concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy, reigniting his hopes of an India return. However, none of it helped. Due to a rigid set of team dynamics, his dream of donning the Indian jersey again after eight years was dashed. Now, Nair has revealed that he wasn't expecting a call-up for the Champions Trophy but remains hopeful of reviving his Test career.

"If I'm being honest, before the tournament, I wasn't thinking about that. At least for me, it felt quite far away. But like I said, you have dreams, you have thoughts, you want to achieve things. But you're not thinking, 'I'm going to make it.' You think, 'I want to make it.' But whether it will actually happen is always a question mark in your head," Karun Nair told Sports Today.

"I still have the dream of playing Test cricket for India. I've said it in many interviews. So quite honestly, that was the only thing on my mind. I wasn't even thinking that I'd be mentioned or considered for the Champions Trophy squad, so I feel really grateful for that," he added.

Legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar had praised Nair for his "commitment and grind" during the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Reacting to his idol's comments, Nair expressed gratitude.

"It was one of the greatest feelings ever to receive appreciation from your childhood hero. It was an amazing moment. I am really thankful to him for taking the time to put out that message. I feel truly blessed to have received those kind words from him. But again, I need to keep performing. Every game and every innings counts, so that remains my focus," Nair insisted.