WINDIES TOUR OF INDIA, 2018

No conversation with management about lack of chances: Karun Nair

by Shirshendu Roy • Last updated on

"I haven't got the kind of opportunities I should have got after the Test where I scored the triple hundred." © Getty

Karun Nair, the second-only triple centurion in Tests for India, who's played only three games since that epoch in Chennai, opened up in an exclusive interview (before the Test squad for the Windies Tests was announced on Friday) about the lack of chances, the difficulties of dealing with it and his hunger to get back and score big again.

The triple hundred of course brought you to the limelight, but has it also had a reverse effect on you, like a disadvantage because of the 300 being talked about over and over again, comparisons, etc?

I don't think it should be hurting me at all. Having said that, it's been two years already and I think it's time we moved on. The past is gone and we have to look ahead to what's ahead; I don't think it should be a disadvantage at all. For all, it can only be an advantage, people know what I can do now, I don't need to prove it to myself or to anyone that I can score runs at the international level because I have done it before. That kind of self-confidence I have, and I don't need to prove it to anyone. It's never going to be a disadvantage because once you get to the top level, it's all about working hard, getting better everyday, and making sure you grab your opportunities.

Remember reading that it (the triple hundred) bottled up for you somewhere, and it took a little bit of time to move away from that?

That I feel was taken in a negative way. I was talking about it in a positive way. I took time to understand the feat I had achieved, that was the meaning of what I was trying to put across; it wasn't that it put me under pressure or anything, the only thing that bottled up for me was not getting picked after that. I haven't got the kind of opportunities I should have got after that. That's the only thing that's bottled up.

How difficult was it to contend with the failings of the Australia series? You got starts, failed to convert those and now you have been out of the XI since...

I played four innings probably in the Australia series, and I think any batsman could get a start and get out in two innings and could have two failures. But to be out of the team after that and not get a chance after that is just unfortunate. I am not... obviously it is disappointing, all I can do is keep scoring at the domestic level or whichever opportunities I get and get back into the eleven... Whenever I get back into the eleven, I need to make sure those starts are converted. I cannot look at it in a negative way at all because that's not going to help me at all. All I can say is everyone gets starts and gets out at some point in their careers. For me, it's happened at that time and after that I haven't got opportunities. I cannot tell you how difficult it is going to be or how difficult it has been.

Do you feel hard done by because chances haven't really come by?

It's just the way it is. The team management and everyone else make their decisions and you as players have to respect it and move forward with that. Like I said, all I can do is let the bat do the talking, and I wouldn't like to say anything else on that.

What impact does a missed chance like today have on you? There are rumours that the team announcement for the Windies Tests is to be done today (at the time of the interview). However hard you try, somebody or the other does remind that the news will come out today. At the end of the day, you are a human and it would play on the mind, isn't it?

It does. Like you said, people do talk and it does play around. But as professional cricketers, we have to make sure that we have a job on our hand on the day and obviously, once the day is over, you can go back and reflect on what has happened. But during the game, we are solely focussed on what's happening in the middle and we are focussing on the job at hand. So all I was doing today was that only. It's just that I have to make sure... today I got a start again, I have to make sure I go on with it and not have these soft dismissals.

Back in school, we were told that there are always more students in the 80, 85 per cent category but not many go ahead to breach the 90 per cent mark. Do you relate to it as well that you are in the squad all the time but not in the eleven?

For me, it's not very difficult to motivate myself. I want to keep getting better everyday and that was the case whenever I was in the team - be it fitness, be it my batting or be it my fielding. All the time I was just trying to improve my skills. Obviously, I want to get an opportunity soon, I want to get a big score soon, I am very hungry for that and everyone knows that only two people (Indians) have got a triple hundred. I am one of them. I don't think I am in the 85 per cent category, I am already in the 90 per cent category. I don't have to prove it to anyone, only one batsman has got a triple hundred before me... all I want is to get out there and I am as hungry as ever to do it again.

The selection panel and the management pride a lot on having open communication channels. There must have been times when you must have been low or desperate or just keen to know, 'what should I do in my game to get into the eleven?'

No, we haven't had any conversations. Nothing at all.

Isn't it difficult? Because you would've wanted to know, right?

It is difficult, but I haven't gone forth and asked anything, but yeah, we haven't had any conversation.

Nothing from that side (selection panel and management) as well?

No.

You have been in the squad and then you see someone from outside come in and play ahead of you. How difficult was it psychologically to see the pecking order go upside down?

It is difficult, naturally for a human being, it's difficult to handle that situation, or to take that as a human being. But like I said before, the team management and everyone else involved make a decision, and me as a player has to accept it. There's nothing else I can do. Like I said before that whenever I get an opportunity, I will let the bat do the talking. I can't be saying anything else on that.

Who did Karun Nair fall back on during this phase?

Close ones are always there. It is the hardest time when you know who really your close ones are. I'd not like to take names but there a few close ones, obviously family is there.

You've been in the squad and not getting games. At a time like that when there are other A series games or domestic games on, but because you are in the squad, you can't go there and score runs...In a situation like that, what would a person who's itching to get on the field want to do - watch from the sidelines or go and score runs and make his case stronger? Did you have such feelings ever?

You work so hard to get to that stage (international), and I don't think anyone would want to leave that stage and come back again to a level below. Everyone who gets to the international stage, works so hard, gets so many runs at the domestic level, at the India A level, otherwise we can't reach the top. To think about going back again and coming in is hard, it's never easy to go back and come back again. It takes double the effort. Obviously I want to be playing games. Like I said, you still want to be at that stage, you want to be experiencing those moments, you want to be a part of that... playing for your country is all that you have dreamt of all your life. To have an experience like that is a big thing.

If there's an option of going and playing games, you can do that. But I meant it in a way, you want to be in those situations and you want to be playing there as well. If there's an opportunity where you can go and play matches, it's obviously a good thing, you can keep scoring runs and be in touch. To play matches is better to be in touch than playing at the nets.

You spoke about learning from the sidelines. What exactly did you work on during this period? Who's your go-to man and what are the discussions like?

I've been spending a lot of time with (Shanker) Basu Sir, our trainer and Sanjay Bangar sir as well, our batting coach. Obviously a lot of throwdowns and a lot of net sessions. But mainly I have been spending time with Basu Sir. According to him, I am the fittest person in the team right now. I am very proud of that and I just want to keep improving on that.

© Cricbuzz

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