Nearly 13 months ago, Karun Nair expressed a heartfelt appeal on Twitter, stating, “Dear cricket, give me one more chance," accompanied by a fingers-crossed emoji in December 2022. The reasons behind the India batter's exclusion from the team, despite his remarkable triple century against England in 2016, remain a mystery. As Nair faced the prospect of fading into obscurity, with his state team, Karnataka, moving on without him, he sent out that poignant tweet. Although it was followed by a period of uncertainty, Nair ultimately discovered a path forward.

Thirteen months after that notable post, the 33-year-old has reportedly caught the attention of selectors once again, having accumulated 664 runs in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, including four consecutive centuries that propelled his new team, Vidarbha, into the semifinals.

“It was an emotional moment when I put that tweet,” he remarked to the national daily after scoring an unbeaten 122 runs, leading Vidarbha to victory over Rajasthan in the quarterfinals.

What is particularly remarkable about his current performance in List A cricket is that he has yet to be dismissed in this Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he has achieved five centuries. His scores are as follows: 112*, 44*, 163*, 111*, 112*, and 122*. This achievement marks the highest number of runs scored by a batter in List A cricket history without being dismissed. Nair is also the second player to score five centuries in a single edition of the tournament, following Tamil Nadu’s Jagadeesan, and the third to achieve four consecutive centuries in List A cricket.

"As India enters a transitional phase, with senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli facing challenges in Tests, Karun is a player of interest for the selectors," the report stated. However, it remains to be seen whether the Ajit Agarkar-led committee will consider the right-hander for the Champions Trophy or keep him in mind for the Test tour of England in June.

'For six-seven months, when I didn’t play any cricket'

After the tweet in 2022, Nair dedicated the majority of his time at Just Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, training under the guidance of coach Vijay Madyalkar, where he concentrated on extensive batting practice. “For six to seven months, during which I did not participate in any matches, I committed to traveling three hours daily solely for net sessions. I had no alternatives. I was overlooked for all formats, and it was an emotionally challenging period for me. I had to progress and focus on self-improvement. The transition was not simple; it took me a few months to overcome that phase before I could begin honing my skills and mindset. I aimed to prepare myself so that when another opportunity arose, I would not provide any justification for being dropped. To achieve this, I needed to score runs consistently. Therefore, I exerted considerable effort to regain my form,” he stated.

However, he remained without a team until former India international and current BCCI GM Abey Kuruvilla intervened to assist him.

“He was my selector during my U-19 days, and I felt comfortable approaching him to say, ‘Sir, I am seeking a team to join; could you please assist me?’ That conversation led to my move to Vidarbha. I am truly grateful to him and the Vidarbha association because I was in search of an opportunity, and when it presented itself, I was eager to seize it,” Nair remarked.

Following a remarkable debut County season with Northamptonshire in 2023, Nair accumulated 690 runs in the 2023/24 Ranji Trophy season. He returned to County cricket with a double century, followed by a century in the Ranji Trophy during the 2024/25 season, but it was his performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy that truly captured attention.

“Everyone aspires to represent their country, and I am no exception. I would be thrilled to play Test matches again, and I understand that I must consistently perform my duties to achieve that goal,” Nair concluded.

Read Also: Ira Jadhav Makes History with Unbeaten 346, Leading Mumbai to 544-Run Victory

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