'Frustrating, but lesson learned': Karun Nair reflects on England tour; lauds Shubman Gill, Gautam Gambhir for clarity

NEW DELHI: For Karun Nair, the recently concluded Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy in England was a bittersweet experience. The India batter, who travelled with a mountain of domestic runs behind him, returned with 205 runs from eight innings at an average of 25.62. The top score of 57 at The Oval was his lone half-century, but what truly rankled were the missed chances: scores of 40, 31, 26 and 21 — good starts that fizzled out.

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“I was batting really well throughout the series and I was getting starts in most games. But I was just not able to convert it, which was frustrating for me more than anyone else,” Nair admitted to PTI. “The one lesson I’ve reflected upon is making sure that I convert the start that I get. I’ve spoken to a lot of people about it, and I’m going to work on it very soon.”



Yet, the 33-year-old takes pride in being part of a side that fought England to a 2–2 draw. “Not many teams have gone to England and levelled the series in five Tests. I’m really proud to be part of this amazing team,” he said.

Nair credited skipper Shubman Gill and head coach Gautam Gambhir for fostering clarity and resilience. “The best part was that the messaging was clear. We showed that we never give up, and the attitude was to always keep fighting. You could see that on the field,” he noted.

Back in India, Nair’s immediate focus will be Karnataka, where he returns after two seasons with Vidarbha. “It was a tough decision to leave, but due to personal reasons I had to. Now it’s about helping Karnataka and guiding the youngsters whenever needed,” he said.

Currently leading Mysore Warriors in the KSCA Maharaja Trophy, Nair insists his eyes are set firmly on improvement. “For me, it’s about working on myself day by day and improving every single day on my skills and fitness,” he said.

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