As India gears up for the much-anticipated India tour of England 2025, all eyes are on some familiar yet long-missed faces in the Test squad. Among them is Karun Nair, the man who once etched his
name in history with a memorable triple century against England in 2016, only to be kept out of the national side for nearly eight years. Now, at 33, he’s making his long-awaited return and no one seems more thrilled than his childhood friend and teammate, KL Rahul.
India tour of England 2025 India tour of England 2025Rahul and Nair’s story goes beyond cricket. It’s a tale of friendship, perseverance, and two boys from Karnataka who dared to dream big. Having started their cricket journey together at the tender age of 11, they climbed the ranks of domestic cricket side by-side one often complementing the other’s rise.
We started playing cricket as 11-year-old boys together and have been on this journey ever since, said KL Rahul in a recent interview with the Delhi Capitals media team. The senior batter, fresh off a stellar IPL season, couldn’t hide his excitement about sharing the Test dressing room once again with Karun. We’ve had our own highs and lows, but Karun’s story is particularly inspiring.
Despite being only the second Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket, Nair’s journey since 2016 has been puzzling. A string of exclusions from the national side despite impressive performances left fans and experts baffled. But Rahul emphasizes that it’s Karun’s resilience that truly stands out.
KL Rahul on Friendship, Preparation, and Leading a New Era
What has impressed me the most is how he’s handled the setbacks, Rahul said. He didn’t complain. He just went back to basics, worked hard, and kept pushing himself especially in the domestic circuit.
Indeed, Karun Nair’s performances for Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy and his stint in County Cricket in England have been consistently solid over the last 2 to 3 seasons. It was this consistent grind that eventually reopened the doors to India’s Test squad for the India tour of England 2025, a five match series expected to challenge even the most seasoned players.
We’ve had many conversations about the difficulties he faced while playing in the UK, Rahul added. Playing County cricket taught him a lot conditions are tough, the weather plays a huge role, and scoring runs there isn’t easy. But he embraced it, learned from it, and has come back stronger.
India tour of England 2025 Nair will be under the spotlight during this tour, Rahul himself is no stranger to expectations. Having returned to form with the bat during the IPL, he has been rigorously preparing for the red-ball challenge in England. “I started my red-ball prep soon after the IPL ended. The challenge of playing against England in their own conditions is real their bowling attack is world-class at home, and the ball does a lot more than it does in India.
Kohli, Rohit will be missed
Rahul also acknowledged the generational shift in Indian cricket as two of its biggest stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have stepped away from the Test format. Both icons announced their retirement from red-ball cricket earlier this year, marking the end of an era.
“Honestly, it feels very strange walking into a dressing room without Rohit or Virat, said Rahul, visibly emotional. In every Test I’ve played so far, at least one of them has been around guiding, supporting, lifting the team. Not seeing them there will be a huge void.
But Rahul knows that the torch has now passed to him and his contemporaries. They’ve given everything to Indian cricket and now it’s time for the rest of us to step up and carry the legacy forward. That’s the responsibility on our shoulders now.
India Tour of England 2025: A Fresh Start with Familiar Faces
As the India tour of England 2025 approaches, fans have much to look forward to not just in terms of high quality cricket, but in the stories that unfold along the way. The comeback of Karun Nair, supported closely by his childhood friend KL Rahul, is already one of the most heartwarming subplots heading into the series.
India tour of England 2025 This isn’t just another Test tour. It’s a battle of grit, a passing of the torch, and a celebration of second chances. And if Nair’s journey tells us anything it’s that perseverance, backed by friendship and belief, can script the most incredible comebacks.