When Karun Nair came out to bat on Sunday against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025, he looked like he was a man on a mission to prove himself.
Smashing 89 off just 41 balls in his IPL comeback for Delhi Capitals, he took down bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Trent Boult with 12 fours and five gigantic sixes. He did not just bat but dominated from ball one.
This epic return was a moment fans had been waiting for, especially after Karun’s emotional 2022 viral tweet: “Dear Cricket, give me one more chance.” He waited patiently, worked hard and when the opportunity came, he grabbed it with both hands.
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Karun Nair’s name is forever etched in Indian cricket history. Back in 2016, he became only the second Indian after Virender Sehwag to score a triple century in Tests, an unbeaten 303 against England in Chennai that won him the Player of the Match.
But shockingly, he was dropped right after that innings as Ajinkya Rahane returned from an injury for the next game. Despite being in the squad, Karun played just six Tests more and was never given a consistent run to cement his spot.
Up and above
Refusing to look down, Karun played domestic cricket regularly and performed well. Leading Vidarbha in the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 779 runs in seven innings, averaging 389.5 with five centuries. His 88* off 44 in the semi-final against Maharashtra was another reminder of his class. These performances earned him a well-deserved IPL call-up from Delhi Capitals.
Now, with the Test series in England just around the corner, fans are hopeful of watching him play Test cricket. As India prepares for a Test series in England this June, the excitement is real and rising — Can this be Karun’s year? Only time will tell.