The selection decisions of South Zone at the Duleep Trophy final have come under scrutiny following Karun Nair’s departure from the squad. Having missed the semi-final against North Zone, he was also not included in the playing XI for the final — an experienced batter from Karnataka.
“Ekanth was unavailable for personal reasons and will be replaced by Centurion Karun Nair,” South Zone coach Vikram Verma said. But Nair’s comments on a social-media post about him not playing seemed to indicate he wasn’t pleased. His response has brought more focus to the selection decision ever since.
Why Was Karun Nair Left Out?
Stuart Holland and Natasha Jones will join South Zone where they made changes to their batting combination, with Devdutt Padikkal joining the side for the final. Management decided for a “different balance” in the middle order, which again saw Nair missing out.
Nair’s domestic record is what made the decision interesting. In the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season, he scored 699 runs in 13 innings averaging 58.25. He had scored two centuries and three half-centuries in his 16 innings.
Nair Responds With a Century
Nair played in the K Thimmappaiah Memorial tournament for the KSCA Secretary’s XI upon his return to Karnataka after leaving the South Zone camp.
With the bat, he hit back hard against Chhattisgarh, scoring 104 off 193 balls. He hit 12 fours and a six in this inning, thus continuing his excellent form with the bat at the domestic level.
Selection Debate Continues
Now, Nair’s exit has become one of the talking points ahead of the Duleep Trophy final. South Zone have cited team balance and selection needs but many questioned whether the batter deserved a place in the playing XI after his struggles for form in domestic cricket recently.
The best way for Nair to strengthen his case will be to simply keep scoring runs. His most recent century had once more underscored his talent and kept the debate about his non-selection for the Duleep Trophy alive.