Vidarbha batter Karun Nair starred with the bat against Kerala on Day 4 of the Ranji Trophy final in Nagpur on Saturday, March 1. The right-handed batter reached his ton off 184 balls, in a knock laced with two sixes and seven boundaries. This was his 23rd first-class century for Nair.
The achievement came in the 59th over of Vidarbha’s second innings. The right-handed batter placed a delivery off Jalaj Saxena to wide of mid-wicket to bring up a single and reach the landmark. The 33-year-old pointed nine fingers towards the dressing room to remind everyone about his nine tons in the domestic season.
Sharing the video on X, the BCCI’s domestic handle captioned the post:
“100 for Karun Nair. A splendid knock on the big stage under pressure. It’s his 9th 100 in all formats combined this season, and the celebration says it all.”
Watch the video below:
Karun Nair was equally impressive in the first essay against Vidarbha, scoring 86 off 188 deliveries. He is amongst the top four leading run-getters in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, with over 800 runs, comprising four tons.
"That keeps me going" - Karun Nair eyes Team India Test comeback
Karun Nair, who has a triple century in Tests, expressed his keenness to make his Team India comeback in Tests. He said in a 2024 interview (via ESPNcricinfo):
"I am just making sure if I get opportunities, wherever it may be, the focus is on making the most of those chances so that I can climb up the stairs again. It's still exciting to wake up each morning and dream of finding a way back to play Test cricket. That keeps me going. I would love to win trophies; we missed out in the Ranji last year. I will try to correct it this year."
Nair was recently not called up for the 50-over series against England despite amassing 779 runs in eight innings, including five tons in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy. Speaking about the decision, the BCCI's chief selector Ajit Agarkar said (via India Today):
"Yeah, it was tough. Those are really special performances. Someone who averages 700-plus. We did have a chat. At the moment, finding a spot in the squad in this team is really difficult. Look at the guys who have been picked. All average well in excess of mid-40s."
"Unfortunately, you can't fit everyone in a squad of 15. But those performances certainly make you take notice. If there is a loss of form (for a player) or injuries, there's certainly going to be a conversation around him," Agarkar added.
Follow the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 final live score and updates here.
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