India, Aug. 10 -- For a job that is the dream of almost a billion Indians, breaking into the Indian cricket team remains one of the hardest tasks in world cricket. Rising through the ranks, navigating the various levels of selection, then impressing the team management one final time before earning that coveted debut cap - it is why a Test debut remains one of the most cherished moments in an Indian cricketer's career.

What is even harder is retaining that place. The talent pool grows deeper by the day, while the age of social media means one poor series can quickly turn into a narrative about a player's future. And once a cricketer is cast aside, staging a comeback can become a herculean task. Ask Karun Nair.

The senior batter spent al...