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The opening test of the England Series vs India In Headingley, Leeds, on June 20, 2025, marked not only the dawn of a new age for the Indian cricket, but also an unpleasant comeback. As Shubman gill He directed an Indian young man in the post-kohli and post-rohit era, all eyes headed for Karun nairwho returned to the XI test after an extraordinary wait of more than eight years. In a match where Sai Sudharsan It debuted, it was the reappearance of Nair who captured the imagination of everyone, symbolizing the resilience and unpredictable nature of sports careers.
Karun Nair’s remarkable return to India’s interpretation against England
Nair’s trip back to the Indian test team is a testament to perseverance. Last seen in whites for India during the Border-Gavaskar Series 2017Nair’s career seemed to have stopped despite his triple century against England in 2016.Cricket please give -M me another chance.“This opportunity finally came to Leeds, where he was drained to beat at number 6, ending with a wait of 3004 days (more than eight years).
Nair’s memory was driven by a dominant domestic season for Vidarbha and the outstanding performances of the Local Championship by 2023 and 2024. The retirement of stops like Shot kohli and Rohit SharmaTogether with his own form, he opened the door. Its selection was not only a reward for persistence, but also a symbol of hope for countless cricketers who move away from the point of view, waiting for this second chance.
List of Indian players with a longer lags between test appearances for India
Nair’s return puts him in an exclusive club of Indian cricketers who have supported the longest expected among the test appearances. These stories often reflect the unpredictability of the selection, the personal ski lifts and the changing tides of the Indian cricket.
Here is a look at the first ten Indian players with the longest gaps between two test games:
| Player | Gap between appearances |
| Lala Amarnh | 12 years, 129 days |
| Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi | 12 years, 10 days |
| Jaydev unadkat | 12 years, 2 days |
| DATTARAM DHARMAJI Hindlekar | 9 years, 357 days |
| Syed Mushtaq Ali | 9 years, 336 days |
| Cotari subbanna Nayudu | 9 years, 329 days |
| Vijay merchant | 9 years, 308 days |
| Dinesh Karthik | 8 years, 144 days |
| Parathiv patel | 8 years, 107 days |
| Karun nair | 8 years, 83 days |
To the top is Lala Amarnhwhich maintains the record with a remarkable slope of more than 12 years and 4 months between its appearances in the test. Near him is Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudiwith a gap of just over 12 years old, followed by Jaydev unadkatThe return of the test cricket came after 12 years and 2 days.
The next set of players …DATTARAM DHARMAJI HINDLEKAR, SYED MUSHTAQ ALI, COTTORI SUBBANNA NAYUDU, and Vijay merchant—They had to wait between 9 years and 308 to 357 days before putting the Indian whites again. These long lagoons often resulted in changes in selection policies, personal circumstances or rare programming of test matches in the early years of the Indian Cricket.
In recent times the wick goalkeepers Dinesh Karthik and Parathiv patel Both went back after more than eight years of the test, showing the unforeseen and competitiveness of the Indian cricket. Completing the list is NAIR, whose return after 8 years and 83 days puts it among this rare group. The journey of each player reflects the resilience and an attitude never giving, emphasizing how sometimes the test cricket races can offer a second unexpected opportunity, even after long absences from the international stage.
Also read: Eng vs Ind 2025: The Captain of England, Ben Stokes
