Duleep Trophy Final: Karun Nair’s Exit Puts Spotlight on South Zone Selection

Karnataka batter Karun Nair’s decision to leave the South Zone squad after being overlooked for the Duleep Trophy final has raised fresh questions over team selection.

Nair, who was not picked for either the Duleep Trophy semi-final or the ongoing final against Central Zone in Chennai, returned to Bengaluru and joined the KSCA Secretary XI for the Thimmappiah Trophy, a red-ball tournament that traditionally serves as part of Karnataka’s preparations for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season.

The batter had attended South Zone’s training session at Chepauk on Saturday, the eve of the Duleep Trophy final. According to reports, Nair left the squad on Sunday after learning that he had once again been left out of the playing XI.

A day later, he made his presence felt with the bat, scoring a century for KSCA Secretary XI against Chhattisgarh at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

South Zone coach Vikram Verma said after the second day’s play in the Duleep Trophy final that Nair had returned home for “personal reasons”. However, Nair’s post on X, formerly Twitter, appeared to suggest that his departure was linked to his non-selection, bringing greater scrutiny to the decision-making within the South Zone camp.

Verma defended the team’s selection, explaining that the combination of the squad and the opposition’s bowling attack influenced the decision to leave Nair out.

“We went with a good combination because every team has two left-arm spinners. So we thought a left-hand batter in the middle order would give us a chance to dominate them,” Verma said.

He added that South Zone had initially given an opportunity to youngster Kodimela Himateja in the match against North Zone before Devdutt Padikkal returned to the squad, making the selection of the middle order even more competitive.

“In the first match against North Zone, we gave a chance to a youngster, Himateja. Now since Padikkal has come back again, the team combination was that. So it was difficult to leave him out, but that's the combination we have,” Verma said.

South Zone’s Opening Combination Under Scrutiny

The selection has also attracted attention because South Zone entered the final with only one specialist opening batter, N Jagadeesan.

On the eve of the final, South Zone captain Tilak Varma defended the decision, saying vice-captain Ricky Bhui could step up to open alongside Jagadeesan.

Bhui had already opened during the semi-final in Bengaluru, scoring 5 and 42. However, opening is not a regular role for him, as he has started the innings in only three of his 90 first-class appearances.

“Bhui has played before and has opened the innings before, but it has been some time. Ricky was playing in the middle order, but now he can adjust and he’s a senior player. That’s why we thought to open with him and Jaggi,” Tilak said.

The situation surrounding Nair has therefore added another layer of intrigue to the Duleep Trophy final, particularly given his experience and recent domestic performances.

Selection Process

The Duleep Trophy squads are selected differently from India’s national teams. The squads are picked by selectors representing the individual state associations within each zone rather than by the national selectors.

Nair’s exclusion, followed by his return to Karnataka and immediate century in the Thimmappiah Trophy, has consequently placed renewed focus on the selection process and the team combination chosen by South Zone for the tournament.

While South Zone have justified their decision on tactical and combination grounds, Nair’s latest performance is likely to keep the debate around his non-selection alive as Karnataka and Indian domestic cricket move towards the Ranji Trophy season.