Nearly 13 months ago, Karun Nair sent an emotional plea into the digital void, tweeting, “Dear cricket, give me one more chance,” accompanied by a fingers-crossed emoji. The post from December 2022 reflected his longing for redemption, as his puzzling exclusion from the Indian cricket team remained unexplained. Despite scoring a historic triple century against England in 2016, Nair found himself sidelined, and his cricketing career seemed to fade, with even his state team, Karnataka, moving on. His heartfelt message, however, marked the beginning of a journey that, though slow and uncertain, eventually found a breakthrough.
Now, 13 months later, Nair has emphatically re-entered the spotlight. According to a report, the 33-year-old has forced his way back into the selectors’ radar after a phenomenal run in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. Representing his new team, Vidarbha, he has amassed 664 runs, including four consecutive centuries, leading the side into the semifinals. His unbeaten 122 against Rajasthan in the quarterfinals in Vadodara reaffirmed his dominance. Reflecting on his resurgence, Nair described the viral tweet as an emotional outburst during a difficult phase, relieved now to have found his form again.
What makes his performance even more remarkable is that he has yet to be dismissed in the tournament, scoring five centuries with unbeaten knocks of 112*, 44*, 163*, 111*, 112*, and 122*. This achievement makes him the highest run-scorer in List A cricket history without being dismissed. Additionally, he has become only the second batter to hit five centuries in a single edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, following Tamil Nadu’s Narayan Jagadeesan, and the third to register four consecutive centuries in List A cricket.
Nair’s resurgence not only highlights his immense talent but also serves as a powerful reminder of perseverance in the face of professional uncertainty.
