Why Did Kohli Get Chances Despite Poor Performance and Nair Did Not?

Karun Nair, who made his comeback after 8 years to the Indian team, has been dropped after the England tour. This raises questions on the BCCI selectors, who made Kohli play for years, despite having a bad form in Tests.

When India's squad for the series against West Indies was announced, fans expected Karun Nair to be there. However, instead of him, the team has gone with Devdutt Padikkal, who makes a comeback after missing the England tour.

about the selectors for not picking Karun Nair. To this, Ajit Agarkar, the Chief Selector, said that the team can't provide many chances to the players. Karun Nair also reacted to the same, as he felt disappointed, not being selected in the team for the home series.

However, there has still been a doubt among the fans, noting Virat Kohli’s slump in form after 2020. Some of them argue that despite not being able to perform well, he was constantly picked in the Test format. But, for Karun Nair, things have been opposite, with the BCCI saying that Nair has used up his chances.

1. Kohli in Bad Test Patch

Virat Kohli retired as India's greatest Test batsman of this generation. Although he was not able to cross the 10,000 run mark in the Test format, his legacy will be honoured by the fans. Representing the Indian team for several years, Kohli also suffered a bad phase in the Test format.

By the end of 2019, Virat Kohli had an average of 54.97 in the Test format. Fans expected him to easily end his career in the next few years being the best in the Fab 4. But after that, his averages dropped constantly, and he ended up with his Test career at an average of 46.85.

Virat Kohli in Tests since 2020:

• Innings: 69
• Not Out: 3
• Runs: 2028
• Average: 30.72
• Centuries: 3
• Half-centuries: 9

Despite having a slump in his form, Virat Kohli continued to be a part of the Indian team consistently for years. Out of the three centuries he scored, two of them came against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Fans did expect a comeback from Virat Kohli in the Test format. But eventually, he failed to contribute in the way he used to, as the board kept on giving him more chances. Later in May 2025, Virat Kohli announced his retirement from the Test format.

2. England Tour Falls Short for Nair

On the other hand, Karun Nair, who was a part of the Indian team for two years (2016-17), made his comeback. After being dropped from the team for eight years, Nair proved himself in the domestic format. He also went on to perform well in the IPL, leading him to the Indian team.

Nair got the opportunity to perform against England in the five-match Test series. Fans expected it to be a good tour for him to stage the best comeback known in cricket. After he failed to perform well in the first three Tests, he was dropped for the fourth Test.

But Nair still insisted on improving himself, as he was a part of the team in the last Test. With this match being crucial for India to win, Nair took charge with the bat. He ended up scoring a half-century in the final Test, which helped India set a good target against England. The team also went on to win the game by a bare margin, with Nair being the unsung hero.

Karun Nair in the England tour:

• Innings: 8
• Not Out: 0
• Runs: 205
• Average: 25.62
• Centuries: 0
• Half-centuries: 1

With the squad against West Indies being announced, fans thought it would be the time for Nair to play again in the home series. But he missed out on the Indian team yet again. Now it also seems that the time is up for Karun Nair, .

Another comeback might not be in the books for Karun Nair, but questions are still raised on the BCCI for giving him fewer chances. On the other hand, Virat Kohli, despite not being able to perform well for several years, remained in the Indian team till he retired.