What happened to Karun Nair? India's second triple centurion's struggles in cricket
Karun Nair shot to fame overnight in December 2016 when he became only the second Indian cricketer to score a triple-century in Test cricket.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
Karnataka batsman Karun Nair shot to fame overnight when he became only the second Indian cricketer to score a triple-century in Test cricket. The right-hander scored an unbeaten 303 against England in Chennai in 2016. Karun Nair is also the only Test batsman in the history of the game to convert debut hundred into a triple ton.
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However, he soon faded into oblivion as he failed to cement his position in the Indian team after scoring only 71 runs in his next five Test matches. Karun Nair’s story can be stated as a perfect example of an individual’s astounding rise to fame overnight and then getting lost in the crowd. Karun Nair played his last Test against Australia in Dharamshala in 2017. Since then, the Karnataka batsman hasn't been in national selectors' scheme of things, which is why fans must be wondering 'Where is Karun Nair?'
Where is Karun Nair? KXIP star who was once deemed as the next big thing in Indian cricket faded into oblivion
To answer the 'Where is Karun Nair?" query, since his axing from the national side, Karun Nair has been relevant in the Indian domestic circuit as he has scored runs consistently. In the 2017-18 edition of Ranji Trophy, the right-hander returned with 612 runs in seven matches, including three triple-figure scores and a solitary fifty. Karun Nair also had a hundred in his only appearance in Duleep Trophy 2017-18.
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Karun Nair plays for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the IPL. However, his performances in the cash-rich tournament in the last three seasons have been dismal. Since 2017, Karun Nair has played 28 matches in the IPL and has managed to score only 587 runs. The KXIP batsman was set to play for the franchise yet again in IPL 2020 under the newly appointed leader KL Rahul. However, IPL 2020 was postponed indefinitely by the BCCI due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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It seems that Karun Nair's criticism in public towards BCCI's selection committee led by MSK Prasad for not selecting him during India's tour of England in 2018 in favour of Hanuma Vihari, could have gone against him. However, a change in guard and a good IPL 2020 outing might make many stop asking 'Where is Karun Nair?' should he get selected atleast in the Test team.
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IPL 2020: BCCI President Sourav Ganguly gives massive statement about the tournament's future
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has hinted at the possibility of IPL 2020 being conducted outside India. Recently, Sourav Ganguly opined that the country will have to bear with the COVID-19 pandemic at least till the end of this year or beginning of 2021. This statement by Sourav Ganguly effectively rules out India's chances of organising the cricketing extravaganza at home.
The BCCI is currently looking for a window to host the event. Their decision largely depends on the ICC’s call regarding the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to start mid-October. As far as the IPL 2020 goes, chances of the tournament being organized in India look bleak as the country has risen to third in coronavirus affected cases behind Brazil and the United States of America (USA).