A little over a year ago, Karun Nair tweeted a heartfelt message: “Dear cricket, give me one more chance.” At that time, many were puzzled about why he was dropped from the Indian cricket team. Nair had made history back in 2016 by scoring a triple century against England, yet he found himself off the radar. As his name faded from discussions about cricket, even his state team, Karnataka, seemed to forget him. However, that tweet was just the beginning of his comeback.
Fast forward 13 months, and Karun Nair is back! He has recently scored 664 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, helping his new team, Vidarbha, reach the semifinals. Nair has been on fire with his batting, scoring four centuries in a row and making headlines for not getting out at all during the tournament! His scores tell the story: 112, 44, 163, 111, 112, and 122. This feat is special: it’s the most runs scored in List A cricket without getting out.
With star players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli struggling in Tests, the Indian selectors are now keeping an eye on Nair. There are talks about whether he’ll be picked for the upcoming Champions Trophy or the Test tour to England.
Reflecting on the tough times, Nair said, “For six or seven months, I didn’t play cricket. I spent three hours traveling every day just to practice. I was really emotional during that time, but I focused on improving my skills.”
Nair found hope when Abey Kuruvilla, a former India player, helped him join Vidarbha. “I just wanted a chance, and I grabbed it,” he remarked.
Recently, he also had a great season in County cricket and has been performing well in the Ranji Trophy. Karun Nair hasn’t forgotten his dream of playing for his country again. “I know I need to keep scoring runs to get back into the Test team,” he said.
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