'All the more special': Karun Nair's wife Sanaya pens emotional post as batter returns to India Test XI after 8 years | Cricket News

‘All the more special’: Karun Nair’s wife Sanaya pens emotional post as batter returns to India Test XI after 8 years | Cricket News

Team India at Headingley (Pic credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: Emotions ran high in the Nair household on Friday as Karun Nair marked his return to the Indian Test team after an eight-year hiatus. Live Score: India vs England, 1st TestThe occasion was made even more poignant by a heartfelt social media post from his wife, Sanaya Tankariwala, who shared her pride and joy as the national anthem played before the start of the first Test against England at Headingley.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In her Instagram story, Sanaya captured a video of the Indian team lined up for the anthem, with Karun standing in frame, soaking in the moment that was long in the making. Alongside the video, she wrote:“Goosebumps every time I hear the Indian national anthem. And this one’s all the more special.” Karun last played a Test in 2017, and his return marks a significant milestone in his career. Once touted as the next big middle-order hope after his famous triple century against England in 2016, the right-hander now finds himself with another chance to reignite his Test journey.India, led by new captain Shubman Gill, were sent in to bat first after Ben Stokes won the toss. The playing XI featured two key changes in the batting lineup – Sai Sudharsan made his Test debut, while Nair slotted in at No. 6. Shubman’s Big Test Begins! India’s Probable XI & Stokes’ Mind Games | ENG vs IND 1st Test Preview “Sai makes his debut, Karun comes in. Sai will bat at three,” Gill confirmed at the toss.This Test also marks India’s first in the post-Kohli-Rohit-Ashwin era, a period of transition filled with both challenges and opportunities.

Read More
IND vs ENG 1st Test: Sai Sudharsan makes Test debut at Headingley as England opt to bowl first | Cricket News

IND vs ENG 1st Test: Sai Sudharsan makes Test debut at Headingley as England opt to bowl first | Cricket News

Sai Sudharsan has been handed his maiden Test cap as India begin their new World Test Championship cycle with the first Test against England at Headingley. Captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bat on a green-tinged pitch, in what promises to be a testing series for a young and evolving Indian side.Follow Live: IND vs ENG, first test Day 1India’s playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.The 23-year-old Sudharsan’s inclusion at No. 3 marks the start of a bold new phase in Indian Test cricket. While his first-class numbers are still a work in progress — 1,957 runs in 49 innings at an average of 39.93 with a highest score of 213 — it is his temperament, timing, and recent form that have made him impossible to ignore. Shubman’s Big Test Begins! India’s Probable XI & Stokes’ Mind Games | ENG vs IND 1st Test Preview Sudharsan was the standout performer in the IPL 2025 season, winning the Orange Cap. His performances at the top of the order were marked by composure beyond his years and an ability to adapt to different conditions.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?Team India, under new leadership, is clearly looking ahead. Despite the retirements of stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the management has backed potential over past numbers, and Sudharsan is a perfect reflection of that philosophy.As he walks out to bat in overcast English conditions against the Dukes ball, Sudharsan carries not just hope, but a clear signal — the future is now.

Read More