India, June 16 -- It's been a long wait, but cricket has finally given Karun Nair another chance. Eight years after his sudden disappearance from the reckoning-despite a record triple century against England at home-Nair has earned a well-deserved shot at redemption, again against England. This time, it's to cement his place in India's Test set-up. And as the big day nears, with clear signs pointing to his inclusion in the playing XI for the opening Test at Leeds starting June 20, Nair has revealed that not long ago, he was advised to retire.

His comeback hasn't come on the back of just one solid domestic season. Yes, he scored 863 runs at 53.93 in a title-winning Ranji Trophy campaign, followed by five centuries in eight innings in the ...