Petition To Bring Karun Nair Back To The Indian Team
If you can smash Jasprit Bumrah for a six, you can do anything!
It takes a special kind of talent to smash Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling for a six. If you can do that twice in an over, you’re special. Make 18 runs in that one over, you’re incredible. And make Bumrah lose his cool, well, you definitely deserve to be placed among the greats. How's that for Karun Nair’s performance?
Mumbai Indians may have somehow managed to win the match but when Karun Nair was in the field, hitting those big money shots for Delhi Capitals, it almost did look like his team would take home the win. The way Nair played, not many have this IPL season. Technically finessed shots, complete control of his game, both while facing, arguably, the best bowler in the world and some other, rather adept bowlers in the Mumbai Indians’ squad.
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It was a thing of beauty, his knock. He had the stadium enthralled. And those of us watching it at home. If you enjoy a good game of cricket, Nair’s batting was everything, and so much more. The commentators couldn’t find enough words to praise him. Nor can I while writing this piece. He was brought in as an impact player, and he did just that by creating an impact few others have.
As a self-confessed Bumrah fan, it’s rare for me to acknowledge the brilliance of any batsman who dares take on my favourite. But the way Nair played last night, it’s hard not to admit that this was an occasion unlike any other. Bumrah was owned, and that heated moment between the two made it rather obvious.
What made it extra special was the fact that this was Nair’s first IPL match after 1077 days – he last played for Rajasthan Royals against Kolkata Knight Riders, back in 2022.
Delhi Capitals may not have won the match but as the cliche goes, Nair certainly won the hearts of every single viewer. And a host of awards at the end of the match too but who’s counting!
But this isn’t Nair’s first rodeo, after all. Remember his 303-not out knock against England in his maiden test tournament back in 2016? He’s only the 3rd man in the history of the game to convert his maiden Test hundred into a triple century, and only the second-ever triple centurion Indian after Virender Sehwag. Yet, he was dropped to make way for Ajinkya Rahane (who he had replaced, to begin with) and hasn’t found his way back into the team, yet.
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Why is that, you’d wonder, if you had seen Nair’s performance in the domestic circuit. Just in January this year, Nair scored 542 runs without getting out in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, creating a new world record of scoring the most List A runs between dismissals. Unbeaten in 5 matches and scoring 3 consecutive centuries – it wouldn’t have been easy, for sure!
Yet, there’s still no place for Nair in the Indian team. Not anytime soon. It’s happened with many players before, and their fans are waiting with bating breath. Rishabh Pant is eyeing a comeback, so is Sanju Samson. Even Prithvi Shaw has people lobbying for him (I’m not one of them!). And many other players who, despite their talents, aren’t finding themselves in the squad. It’s an increasingly long list. I’ll just hope Nair isn’t stuck in it for long and finds himself back to where he truly belongs. Yes, there’s only place for 11 but who gets to say that the ones currently in it are all worth a shot?