Karun Nair’s timely post after India’s batting collapse should sting BCCI

Timing matters in cricket, whether it is playing a drive or simply putting out a post on social media. Karun Nair, as good a batter as he is, timed his X post to perfection as India collapsed on Day 3 of the second Test match against South Africa in Guwahati.

India were bundled out for 201 on Monday in response to South Africa's first innings total of 489. Having lost the opening Test at Eden Gardens, India are in danger of losing the two-match series 2-0.

Karun's post was devoid of all the relevant keywords -- Test cricket, India, South Africa -- yet it unmistakably pointed to the ongoing home Test series of Team India. "Some conditions carry a feel you know by heart — and the silence of not being out there adds its own sting." That was the post.

"Adei", with a face-with-tear-of-joy emoji, was Ravichandran Ashwin's response, also on X, removing any lingering doubts as to what the Bengaluru-Malayali's cryptic note might imply.

Karun is not part of the Indian team that is playing the two-match Test series against the Proteas. He was not recalled after the tour of England in July-August, missing out on the recent two-match home series against West Indies, which India won 2-0.

In the meantime, Karun returned to Karnataka, his home association, in the Ranji Trophy. He has been brilliant in the first-class tournament, amassing over 600 runs from five matches, with two centuries and as many half-centuries, with a top score of 233.

Karun's famous return to the Indian team after an eight-year absence was lacklustre. He scored just one fifty in England, after which it wasn't surprising that he was dropped.

But when the current bunch of Indian batters couldn't even manage 500 runs across three innings combined this series, it is fair on the part of the man-in-form to feel stung by being left out.