'No tattoos, doesn't wear fancy clothes...': Harbhajan Singh questions double standards of BCCI against THIS player

Karun Nair, a brilliant batter from Vidarbha, has been in great form throughout the Vijay Hazare Trophy, hitting an astounding 664 runs in just six innings. His performance included five century and an astounding strike rate of 120.07, with Nair getting dismissed only once. This outstanding performance has propelled him to the top of the tournament's run-scoring charts.

Karun Nair's name has resurfaced in cricket conversations as a result of his outstanding performances, with many fans on social media calling for his return to international cricket. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has also spoken about Nair's recent success. Nair rose to fame after making a triple century against England at home in December 2016, but he was only able to play three more Tests before being pulled from the team.

“I'm looking at his stats. In 2024/25, he played six innings, remained not out in 5, scoring 664 and that was his average. And he's played at a strike rate of 120. And they don't pick him. It's unfair,” Harbhajan said on his official YouTube channel.

The former spinner expressed concerns regarding the selection criteria, particularly pointing out the instances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli being pressured to play in the Ranji Trophy due to their underwhelming performances, while players who are performing well in domestic tournaments are overlooked.

In 2024, Nair had a remarkable season in first-class cricket, scoring 1,466 runs with an impressive average of 44.42. His outstanding performance included four centuries and seven fifties, with a highest score of 202*. Additionally, Nair made a significant impact in England's county cricket with Northamptonshire, where he scored 487 runs in seven matches at an average of 48.70, which featured one century and three fifties.

"Many are selected on the basis of just two games, some are just selected basis the IPL. So, why are rules different for him? People say Rohit and Virat are out of form, and you're sending them to Ranji. But those who are playing Ranji and scoring runs… why are you ignoring them? When will these guys play? They are scoring runs here.

“I never understood how he was dropped after a triple century. It pains me that no one talks about players like him.”

Harbhajan was straightforward in his remarks, emphasizing that there are “different rules for different players.”

"He went to England with the team but didn't get a game. For the fifth Test, they actually flew a player from India, I think it was Hanuma Vihari, and he played the Test instead of Nair. Give me the reason for this. Does it make sense?

“Different rules for different people… that shouldn't be the way. When they are scoring runs, you need to play him, right? He doesn't have tattoos, doesn't wear fancy clothes, is that the reason you're not picking him? Does he not work hard?” asked Harbhajan.

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