The experienced Indian batsman, Karun Nair, showcased his exceptional form once again, smashing an unbeaten 142 runs to anchor Karnataka to a strong total of 319 for three on the opening day of their Ranji Trophy Group B match against Kerala.
Karnataka’s innings began shakily after winning the toss and opting to bat, with openers Aneesh KV (8) and captain Mayank Agarwal (5) departing early. However, Nair stepped up to stabilize the innings, forging a crucial partnership with wicketkeeper Krishnan Shrijith, who contributed a valuable 65 runs from 110 deliveries.
At the close of play, Nair remained at the crease on 142 not out, ably supported by Smaran Ravichandran, who was batting on an impressive 88 runs from 143 balls. Their unbroken stand has put Karnataka firmly in control of the match.
Nair’s commanding innings was highlighted by 14 boundaries and two towering sixes. Earlier, Shrijith’s ten fours helped maintain a healthy scoring rate through the middle phase of the day’s play.
For Kerala, MD Nideesh (1/41), Nedumankuzhy Basil (1/58), and Baba Aparajith (1/65) managed to claim a wicket each on what was largely a dominant day for Karnataka’s middle-order batsmen.
This brilliant knock marks Karun Nair’s second century of the current season, following his unbeaten 174 against Goa in the previous round. More significantly, it propelled him past the remarkable milestone of 9,000 runs in First-Class cricket.
At 33 years old, Nair now joins an elite group as only the sixth Karnataka batsman to achieve this feat, a list that includes cricketing legends like Rahul Dravid, G. Vishwanath, Brijesh Patel, Syed Kirmani, and Robin Uthappa.
Nair’s consistent performances this season, including two centuries and a half-century, certainly strengthen his argument for a potential return to the national team. However, his recent exclusion from the India A squad for the upcoming red-ball matches against South Africa A was seen by many as a clear indication that his Test career with India might be at an end. Nair himself addressed this, stating in an interview with TOI that he is now focused “only to play the Ranji Trophy.”
Brief Scores: At Thiruvananthapuram: Karnataka 319/3 in 90 overs (Karun Nair 142*, Smaran Ravichandran 88*, Krishnan Shrijith 65; MD Nideesh 1/41, Nedumankuzhy Basil 1/58, Baba Aparajith 1/65).