India batter Karun Nair admitted that he was initially hard on himself after being dismissed for 57 in the first innings of the fifth Test against England at The Oval. However, upon later reflection, the 33-year-old realized that his knock played a crucial role in helping India reach 224 in their first innings.
The right-hander stitched a vital 65-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Washington Sundar, lifting India from 153/6 to a competitive total on a challenging pitch. Speaking to Boria Majumdar on Backstage with Boria, Nair said:
“Yeah, at that time, I was very critical of myself and thought that I should’ve made a 100, but reflecting upon it later, I would say those 57 runs were equally important in that first innings. The game was at a very difficult position and it was obviously a very important game for us with the tricky wicket.”
“I’m glad that I could get those runs for myself and for the team. We kept losing wickets at regular intervals and, like I said earlier, my whole process and focus was on building those small partnerships and helping the team get to a respectable total in that first innings.”
Karun Nair Reflects On Emotional Return To Team India After Eight Years
The England tour marked the Karnataka batter’s first appearance in India colours in eight years. Looking back on the series opener in Leeds, Karun Nair said he felt goosebumps and needed some time to fully grasp that he was once again representing the country.
“Yeah, it was a moment of goosebumps, and I can still feel that when I’m talking about it. A year back, I used to dream about being in the whites and standing there with the team. And then, there I was living my dream that I have once lived inside my head.”
“It is an amazingly grateful feeling and something that you cannot explain. It took me a while to get used to the fact that now I have the stage and that I have made it back to the team. Now is the time to go and grab the opportunity,” Nair said.
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