Karun Nair's return to the Indian Test side at Headingley is more than just a selection. It's a story of patience and persistence.
The right-handed batter is back in the playing XI after eight years and 83 days since his last Test appearance. His last outing was against Australia in Dharamsala in March 2017.
Follow The Sporting News India on WhatsApp
Since then, he has been out of the national setup and missed 77 Test matches in the process - the fourth-most by an Indian between two Test appearances. Once seen as a future star after his triple-century against England in Chennai in 2016, Nair's career took an unexpected detour.
He struggled for form, lost his place in the Karnataka side and even went unsold in the IPL for a brief period. But the 33-year-old revived his game with Vidarbha in domestic cricket.
He topped charts across formats in the 2024-25 season. This includes a double century for India A and consistent IPL performances for Delhi Capitals.
Which Indian batters have missed most Test matches between two appearances?
Nair's comeback after missing 77 Tests places him in rare company. Here is a look at Indian batters who have waited the longest between two Test appearances.
| Player | Tests Missed | Previous Test | Return Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaydev Unadkat | 118 | 2010 | 2022 |
| Dinesh Karthik | 87 | 2010 | 2018 |
| Parthiv Patel | 83 | 2008 | 2016 |
| Karun Nair* | 77 | 2017 | 2025 |
| Abhinav Mukund | 56 | 2011 | 2017 |
As seen in the list, Jaydev Unadkat holds the record for missing the most numbers of Tests for India between two appearances. Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel follow him - with both missing 8 years of Test cricket.
Nair's return is all the more impressive considering how rare such comebacks are in Indian cricket. His journey includes a triple century in just his third Test.
It then saw an unexpected drop. What then followed was years of domestic grind, a change of teams and eventually a resurgence powered by runs - including 863 in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season.