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From Plea To Glory: Karun Nair's Fairy Tale Cricket Story Comes Full Circle

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Karun Nair against England Lions [Source: @Cric_records45/x.com]Karun Nair against England Lions [Source: @Cric_records45/x.com]

"Dear cricket, give me one more chance."

When Karun Nair posted this tweet on December 10, 2022, the cricket fraternity heard his desperate plea. As it seems now, cricket has decided to give India's forgotten triple centurion a second chance and when it came, the Indian batter was more than ready to take it. 

The Exile Years Of Karun Nair

Notably, Karun Nair scored became only the second Indian batter to score a triple hundred in Test cricket after Virender Sehwag. He played a brilliant knock of 303 runs from 381 deliveries against England in the fifth Test at Chennai in 2016. After this his form suffered a slump and gradually got ignored by the Indian management. 

Even after averaging more than 60 in Test cricket, lack of chances and too much contest gradually saw him being sidelined. His domestic team, Karnataka also dumped him and the batter found sanctuary in Vidarbha. 

In the last couple of years, Nair changed things around dramatically. Especially in the last one and a half-year he has shown excellent batting displays and hence now stands at the doorsteps of a dramatic Test comeback. 

County Preparation: Karun Nair Was Ready For The Test

Things started to turn around for Karun Nair when Northamptonshire offered him the chance to play in County Cricket in 2024. In 11 innings, Nair scored 487 runs in 11 innings at an average of 48.70. While the numbers might not be extraordinary, this was preparation that turned the tides of his sinking career. 

Domestic Domination: The Numbers Game

Nair's 2024-25 domestic season reads like cricket fiction:

  • Vijay Hazare Trophy: 779 runs at 389.50 average
  • World Record: 542 consecutive runs without dismissal
  • Five centuries, three consecutive tons

Ranji Trophy: 863 runs at 53.94 average

  • Four centuries, including match-winning 135 in final
  • Led Vidarbha to third title

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: 255 runs at 170+ strike rate

Combined tally: Nine centuries across formats in one season—unprecedented statistical domination.

IPL Renaissance: Power Meets Precision

After 1057 days, Nair's made a tale-worthy IPL return: 89 off 40 balls vs Mumbai Indians in the 29th match of the tournament. Most remarkably, he scored 26 runs off Jasprit Bumrah in nine deliveries inside the powerplay. Notably, this is the highest runs scored by any batter against Bumrah in that phase in T20 cricket.

The gap between IPL fifties: 2520 days—longest in tournament history.

Circle Of Life Gets Completed In England

Karun Nair has smashed a double Hundred against England Lions in Canterbury while batting at number three. The 204 runs off 281 deliveries will not only be remembered as a innings - it is a statement. The cricketing elegance that once delivered 303 runs in a Test match is still intact and has been furthermore enhanced by county experience and domestic dominance. 

The Fabled Comeback Of Cricket

After this double hundred, if Karun Nair finds a place in the playing XI of the first Test, this journey will be remembered as one of the best comebacks in the game. From a desperate Tweet to now knocking the doors of Indian Test team, Karun Nair's cricketing journey could be case study of will power and determination.