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Karun Nair has scored 662 runs in six innings in the ongoing VHT and has only been dismissed once.
Karun Nair has been in stunning form this season.
Karun Nair broke into the record books with a fourth-consecutive List-A century on Sunday. He’s now joint second-best with Kumar Sangakkara, Devdutt Padikkal and Alviro Petersen for the most back-to-back centuries in the format, only behind Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan (five).
Batting at number three for Vidarbha in the quarter-final of the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy against Rajasthan, the skipper led from the front in the chase of 292. His aggressive 122 off 82 balls included 13 fours and five sixes and helped Vidarbha win by nine wickets and with 39 balls to spare to advance to the semis.
In the previous three matches, his scores read: 112 against Uttar Pradesh, 111* against Tamil Nadu and 163* versus Chandigarh. Overall, he is the top run-scorer of the tournament so far with 664 runs in six innings. Because he has only been dismissed once so far, his tournament average reads a stunning 664.
Sri Lankan Legend Sangakkara achieved his four consecutive List-A tons in 2014-15 while Petersen did that in the next season. Padikkal, Nair’s former teammate at Karnataka, scored four consecutive List-A centuries in 2020-21.
Jagadeesan’s amazing five, meanwhile, came in 2022-23 — a record which is now under direct threat from Nair’s form. With a maximum of two matches to go in this tournament itself, it would be foolish to bet against the right-hander.
Can Karun Nair Get Into India’s ODI Team?
Nair, who was famously dropped only a few games after scoring a Test triple-century for India in 2016, has probably done all he can to put his name back in the reckoning. His List-A form is only an extension to his similarly consistent returns for Vidarbha in red-ball matches and also in T20 leagues.
In August last year, he had expressed hope of getting back into the national team.
“I feel like I’m batting as well as I’ve ever done. I am in a good head space, I know where my game is. 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” Nair had told ESPNcricinfo then.
However, despite his form, a comeback to the ODI set-up would be a long-shot, especially because India are preparing for the 2025 Champions Trophy and would probably not want to take any risks.
Secondly, the number three position is Virat Kohli’s and unlike in the 2017-2022 period, the middle-order is stacked with options. Nair can hope the selectors recognise his form and at least put him in the reserves for the Champions Trophy with perhaps an opportunity in the ODI series against England, where Kohli would probably be rested.