Karun Nair, born on December 6, 1991 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, is one of Indian cricket’s most talked-about cases of unfulfilled potential. Despite producing moments of genuine brilliance at the highest level, his international career never gained the momentum that many felt it deserved.
His story is marked by three clear instances where good performances were not rewarded with a sustained run in the side. Each episode left fans and former cricketers questioning the decisions made around his selection.
3. Lost Karnataka spot and went unsold in IPL despite domestic runs
In the 2021-22 season, Nair had lost his place in Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy squad, a significant blow for a player of his standing. He went unsold at the 2025 IPL mega auction held in Saudi Arabia, which further underlined how far his stock had fallen.
Earlier, poor outings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, along with two difficult IPL seasons, had damaged his reputation. The contrast was stark because, around January 2025, Nair led Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and scored five centuries in six innings, accumulating 752 runs. That kind of domestic form would ordinarily attract attention, yet national recall did not follow, making this period another example of his difficult relationship with consistent selection.
