Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has raised questions about the value of domestic cricket after Karun Nair was overlooked for India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Nair, who was in exceptional form during the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 779 runs from eight innings, averaging a remarkable 389.50 and striking at 124.04.

The Vidarbha batter also scored five centuries and a fifty, catching the attention of fans and pundits alike, many of whom called for his inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad. Despite his stellar run, the 33-year-old was not selected for the 15-member team. Following this omission, Harbhajan expressed his disappointment, questioning the relevance of domestic cricket if performances there aren’t rewarded by selection.

Is there a point playing Domestic cricket when you don’t pick players based on form & performance ? #KarunNair

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) January 18, 2025

“What’s the purpose of playing domestic cricket if players aren’t selected based on their form and performances?”Harbhajan wrote on his X account.

Nair made his India debut during the 2016 Test series against England, where he famously scored a triple century in just his third match, becoming only the second Indian to achieve such a feat. However, after a few underwhelming performances in subsequent Tests, he lost his place in the team following the 2018 England tour.

Ajit Agarkar confirms that Nair will stay part of the discussions

Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar acknowledged Nair’s impressive domestic performances but pointed out the difficulty of fitting him into the current squad. Agarkar added that Nair would be kept on standby in case of any form dips or injuries leading up to or during the Champions Trophy.

“Those are exceptional performances, and when someone is consistently scoring around 700, 750 runs or more, it’s hard not to take notice. We’ve definitely had discussions about it. However, right now, it’s incredibly challenging to find a spot in the team with the current squad. Just look at the players who have been selected each of them has an average well above 40. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to accommodate everyone in a 15-member squad. But such strong performances certainly grab attention. If there’s a dip in form or an injury to any player, you can be sure that the conversation will turn to him,” Agarkar said during the squad announcement press conference.

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