India, Sept. 7 -- Karun Nair's name was missing from the India A squad announced for the two unofficial four-day matches against Australia A in Lucknow, raising strong speculation that the 33-year-old batter may have played his final game in Indian colours. Once hailed as a promising long-format prospect, Nair's exclusion could be the most definitive signal yet of his fall from the selectors' radar.

The Karnataka batter had staged a comeback earlier this year in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy, the five-Test series in England, nearly nine years after his last match. However, his return was underwhelming. In six innings, he crossed fifty just once, squandering what may have been his last opportunity to revive his Test career.

Nair, who fam...