The wait is over for Karun Nayar. After eight long years, he’s back in the Indian cricket team. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the squad for the upcoming five-match Test series in England, and Nayar’s name is on the list.
Nayar’s last Test match was in March 2017 against Australia. He made his international debut in 2016 and has played six Tests and two One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Despite being out of the team for a long time, he’s been performing well in domestic cricket. His impressive show in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, where he was picked by the Delhi Capitals, has earned him a spot in the national team.
In a recent match, Nayar scored 44 runs off 27 balls, with two sixes and five fours, helping his team win by six wickets. “It feels amazing, we deserved this win,” he said after the match. “We haven’t played our best cricket, but today’s match shows we’re a good team.” Nayar credited his coach for advising him to take his time and play big shots.
On his selection in the Test team, Nayar expressed gratitude and pride. “I was waiting for the call, and I’m happy and honored to be back,” he said. Nayar’s international career boasts 374 runs in six Tests, with a highest score of 303 against England. He has also played two ODIs, scoring 46 runs.
The Indian squad for the England Test series includes:
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper/Vice-Captain)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- KL Rahul
- Sai Sudarshan
- Abhimanyu Easwaran
- Karun Nayar
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper)
- Washington Sundar
- Shardul Thakur
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
- Akash Deep
- Arshdeep Singh
- Kuldeep Yadav
Nayar’s return to the team has sparked interest among fans, and his performance in the upcoming series will be closely watched.