'Kept my dream alive of playing for India once again, without giving up.'
Karun Nair opened up about the relentless effort he put in the last few years to make a comeback to the Indian Test team for the recently-concluded tour of England, making it back to the national team after a long wait of eight years.
From a historic triple century to eight years on the sidelines, Nair's journey is a testament to patience, grit, and resilience.
Nair forced his way back into the Indian Test side, riding on his consistent performances for Vidarbha in domestic cricket.
The Karnataka batter also shone during a successful stint with English county side Northamptonshire -- amassing 736 runs in 10 matches at an impressive average of 56.61, with two centuries and four fifties, including an unbeaten 202.
Nair's purple patch was on full display in the last domestic season, where he piled on runs across formats for Vidarbha, while playing a pivotal role in theirx` Ranji Trophy triumph.
His return to the Test fold wasn't the result of a single season but the culmination of four to five years of unwavering hard work.
"I wouldn't say just two years, it's more like four to five years of hard work, and the last two years have just been the result of that hard work. Working on my skills and fitness every single day, patiently, was something I have practiced," Nair said while speaking to Boria Majumdar on Revsportz.
"Kept my dream alive of playing for India once again, without giving up. The only focus was on how I am going to make it and what should I be doing for that. I just took one day at a time, and all I could see was the target of getting back there," he added.
For Nair, there was no clear roadmap to his India comeback. His mindset was simple: give everything, every day, in every game.
"Kept telling myself that I should be giving everything that I can, and hopefully I'll reach my goal. There was no set path that I had in mind, or a clear direction to reach the target point, but it was just about putting in all the effort while making sure I performed in every game, irrespective of what game it is. I guess taking one day at a time and not looking too far ahead helped me," he said.
Nair's long-awaited dream became reality when he was named in India’s playing XI for the series opener against England at Headingley.
"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," said the 33-year-old.
"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," he added.
Nair scored 205 runs in the England Test series at an average of 25.62, including a vital 57 in the first innings of the fifth Test in tough conditions at The Oval.
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