Following a disheartening phase in his career Indian batsman Karun Nair is slow and steady making efforts to get back to the top.
When one also hopes about once again slipping into the blue jersey, I am inclined to the present Karun Nair said, ‘my performance is all about now and improving every moment.’
‘You have to be ready for the huff. It’s all about the next game. And I am not thinking too much of the long term, because then at times you can get bogged down in how things are going to play out. I have had score big in the last one year in all formats of the game. I have just been trying to track the same all through the last one year for every such opportunity am given its a new day’ Kinara said and was quoted by PTI.
It has been seven years since Karun Nair wore the India cap for the last time. However, statistics indicate that this form can be ‘dead’ compared to age. A few counties in India and England brought promising results.
But Nair’s time with the Nine Northamptons proved even more successful.
In 2023, in 3 matches, he collected 249 runs with a remarkable mean of 83 and also made a century against the defending champions Surrey. This year, he also maintained his good form and made 487 runs in 7 matches at an average of 49 and it also included another century against Glamorgan.
Though not impressive numbers, his regular scores have brought the chased batsman back in the confident mood.
Apart from the runs, Nair spoke about the important exposure he got playing in England, saying, “You are playing with a different ball there – literally. Everyone knows for Indian batsmen to go and score runs in England…I mean it is tough to play the moving ball. So, I have known a bit more about myself as a batsman and looking to score runs and more importantly having faith on oneself. There are so many things I have slowly picked up when I was in England that well, perhaps it was within me all along but I just did not notice it all this time.”
Joining Vidarbha from Karnataka during the last domestic season brought about yet another sea change in him. Owing to the few chances to play in the home state, Nair was frustrated and found solace when he moved to Vidarbha. He made a comeback with 690 runs in 10 matches with two centuries helping the side reach the semi-finals of Ranji Trophy.
While still a strong motivating factor for Karun Nair, he now has more pressing objectives, “Yes of course. That is something which everyone plays this game for, to go out and represent your country and that is what I have, my only aim now, to play Test cricket again, which I think, I am very confident that I can. I know that I am good enough.”
That said, his current ambition is to take the Mysore Warriors as far as he can in the on-going KSCA Maharaja T20 tournament. “We’ve crossed the first step, that is to qualify for the semis which is something that we set out to do when we started the tournament,” he concluded.
