Karun Nair Exits South Zone Duleep Final Squad Amid Selection Controversy

After being omitted from the Duleep Trophy semi-finals and the ongoing final in Chennai, Karnataka batter Karun Nair has returned to Bengaluru to play for the KSCA Secretary XI at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the Thimmappiah Trophy, a red-ball tournament that typically kicks off Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy preparations. Nair participated in South Zone’s training session at Chepauk on the eve of the Duleep final on Saturday, but upon learning of his omission for a second consecutive match, he departed the squad. On Monday, he scored a century for the KSCA Secretary XI against Chhattisgarh in Bengaluru.

After stumps on the second day of the Duleep final, South Zone coach Vikram Verma stated that Nair had left the squad for “personal reasons.” However, Nair’s post on X (formerly Twitter) suggested otherwise, casting doubt on the team’s selection process.

“No, he [Nair] went [home] with the personal reasons,” Verma said. “So he left for his home, he mailed and took the permission.

“Actually, we went with a good combination because every team has two left-arm spinners. So we thought a left-hand batter in the middle order would give a chance to dominate them. So again, we thought [of] what is best for the team.”

And [in the] first match [against North Zone], we gave chance to a youngster [Kodimela] Himateja. Now since [Devdutt] Padikkal has come back again, so again the team combination was that. So [it] was difficult to miss him [Nair] out, but that’s the combination we have.”

Despite adding India Test players Devdutt Padikkal and Mohammed Siraj to the South Zone squad for the Duleep final, the lineup remains lopsided, with only one specialist opener in N Jagadeesan. On the eve of the final, captain Tilak Varma defended the selection, suggesting vice-captain Ricky Bhui could fill the opener role. Bhui also opened the batting in the semi-finals in Bengaluru, managing scores of 5 and 42.

Bhui, however, has opened in only three of the 90 first-class games he has played so far.

“Actually Bhui has played before and has opened the innings before, but it has been some time… Ricky was playing in the middle order,” Tilak had said. “But now he can adjust and he’s a senior player. So, that’s why we thought to open with him and Jaggi [Jagadeesan].”

The Duleep Trophy squads were selected by selectors from each state association within the zone rather than by the national selectors.

East Zone captain Ishan Kishan smashed 270 off 334 balls to propel his team to 708, effectively eliminating South Zone from the contest within two days.

South Zone squad for Duleep final

Tilak Varma (capt), Ricky Bhui (vice-capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Mohammed Siraj, Abhinav Tejrana, Shaik Rasheed, K Himateja, R Smaran, N Jagadeesan (wk), Karun Nair (left the squad now), Tanay Thyagarajan, Shreyas Gopal, Kavuri Saiteja, T Vijay, Chama Milind, Aman Khan, MD Nidheesh

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