Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh has questioned the significance of domestic cricket after the selectors didn’t pick Karun Nair in India’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Nair was in imperious form during the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 as the Vidarbha batter finished as the highest run scorer of the tournament. He accumulated 779 runs from eight innings at a stunning average of 389.50 and a strike rate of 124.04.
Nair registered five centuries and a fifty during the tournament and managed to grab the attention of selectors with his sensational form. Following his remarkable run, several fans and pundits began demanding his inclusion in the Champions Trophy squad. However, the 33-year-old failed to find a place in the 15-member team. Following his snub, Harbhajan questioned the significance of Indian domestic cricket if the selectors are not going to pick players on the basis of their performance there.
“Is there a point playing Domestic cricket when you don’t pick players based on form & performance?,” wrote Harbhajan on his X account.
Nair made his India debut during the five-match Test series against England in 2016 and etched his name in history books by becoming just the second Indian to score a triple century in his third Test. However, he failed to put up notable performances in his next three Tests and ended up losing his place in the team after the England tour of 2018.
Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar also revealed that the selectors took notice of Nair’s performances but mentioned that it’s difficult to find a place in the team at the moment. However, he mentioned that he will kept as a backup if someone loses form or gets injured ahead or during the Champions Trophy.
“I mean, those are really special performances and I mean someone who averages about 700+, 750 + or something, we did have a chat, no doubt about it, when those kind of performances happen. At the moment, to find a spot in this team is very difficult. Look at the guys who have been picked. All average well in excess of mid-40s. Unfortunately, you can’t fit everyone in a squad of 15. But those performances certainly make you take notice. If there is a loss of form (for a player) or injuries, there’s certainly going to be a conversation around him,” Agarkar said in the press conference while announcing the squad.
