Why Karun Nair Left South Zone Squad Midway Through Duleep Trophy Final? Reason Revealed

Veteran middle order batter Karun Nair was part of the South Zone squad that is currently playing the Duleep Trophy 2026-27 season. Surprisingly, he was left out of the playing 11 for the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone.

After being left out of the team for the final, Nair left the South Zone squad while the match was underway at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Leaving a top team in between a final of a big tournament surprised a few and the fans began to wonder about Nair's decision.

Why Karun Nair Left South Zone Squad For Duleep Trophy Final?

Karun Nair left the South Zone squad due to personal reasons, as informed by their coach Vikram Verma to The Indian Express' Venkata Krishna B. However, things are not as simple as they look.

After leaving South Zone, Nair went on to take part in the K Thimmappiah Memorial Tournament that is currently underway in Bengaluru. He is representing the KSCA Secretary’s XI in a match against Chhattisgarh.

This puts serious questions on the South Zone management for their treatment of a capped India player. Nair has been one of the best batsmen in India for more than a decade and is a stalwart in domestic cricket.

He has scored loads of runs in first-class cricket, which makes his absence even more shocking. Nair last played an international match in August 2025 at The Oval, after which he was dropped from the team.

Karun Nair's Absence Hurts South Zone

Karun Nair did not play a single game of this season's Duleep Trophy as he was left out of the semi-final clash as well. It is quite shocking to see a player of his stature missing out on these crucial matches.

Karun Nair Duleep Trophy final absence can hurt South Zone as they aim to win their first title since 2023. In the ongoing EZ vs SZ final, South Zone are struggling as East Zone piled up 708 runs in the first innings on the back of a brilliant double-century from Ishan Kishan.

Karun Nair South Zone presence would have helped the team on the basis of experience as well. The 34-year-old is highly experienced in domestic cricket, and could have made a difference in the middle order.