Kolkata : Indian Batsman Karun Nair is aiming to revive his international career after series of top notch performances.
Nair is remembered for his 303 knock against England in his short career of 6 Tests and 2 ODIs. However, after that innings, his form faded away & eventually made his last international appearance in 2017.
Since then he faced lots of challenges in Domestic circuits , especially his stint with Karnataka saw him struggling to find a regular place. In IPL too, he isn’t seen face since 2022.
However, last couple of years saw old sparks of Nair. His successful stints with Northamptonshire and Vidharbha proved to give him a new hope to revive his international career.
His stint with Northamptonshire in early 2023 was particularly noteworthy, where he scored 249 runs in three matches at an impressive average of 83, including a century against Surrey, the eventual champions. That year, he continued to shine, accumulating 487 runs from seven matches at an average of 49, with another century against Glamorgan.
Nair’s time with Northamptonshire proved invaluable, as he faced the challenge of playing with a moving ball in English conditions. “Playing in England, with its moving ball, was tough. I’ve learned a lot about myself as a batsman, finding ways to score runs and believing in myself,” he noted. This period abroad has given him fresh insights into his game, refining his techniques and bolstering his confidence.
His move to Vidharbha also proved crucial as he wasn’t finding regular place in Karnataka team. Vidharbha provided him a fresh start to his career.
Last season, he scored 690 runs from 10 matches, including two centuries, significantly contributing to Vidarbha’s Ranji Trophy semifinal run. “The opportunity to play in the Ranji Trophy was something I had missed for a year. I’m grateful to Vidarbha for giving me that chance,” Nair said. His aim now is to build on his previous success and strive for further achievements with the team.
Despite the setbacks of not playing a full season, Nair has turned adversity into strength. “The season I missed taught me to value each game more, to practice harder, and to be smarter,” he reflected. This period of absence has fueled his determination and sharpened his focus.
With terrific form after all the hard works, Nair now aims to return to the Indian team, especially in the Test format.
He said, “Everyone plays this game to represent their country, and that’s my aim now – to play Test cricket again. I’m confident in my ability and believe I can achieve it”.
Currently, Nair is channeling his energies into leading the Mysore Warriors in the ongoing KSCA Maharaja T20. With the team having qualified for the semifinals, he is determined to win title for his team.
“We’ve crossed the first step, qualifying for the semis, and we hope to go all the way,” he concluded.
Currently, he’s in spectacular form & is the 2nd highest run scorer of Maharaja Trophy with 490 runs in 10 matches, with an average of 61.25.
