Karun Nair: 100 percent I feel I can play for India again

Vidarbha batter Karun Nair, only the second Indian to score a triple hundred in Test cricket, has not given up hopes of playing for the country again. The 32-year-old last represented India in 2017 but remains optimistic of a comeback.

Nair smacked 303* in the fifth and final Test of the series against England in Chennai in December 2016. He played three more Tests against Australia but has not been on the selectors’ radar since then.

The right-handed batter played a defiant knock for Vidarbha on Day 4 of the Ranji Trophy 2024 final against Mumbai at the Wankhede in Mumbai on Wednesday, March 13. He scored 74 off 220, hitting three fours in a resolute innings to take the game into Day 5.

After the end of the fourth day’s play, Nair said that he still harbors hopes of playing for India.

"100 percent I think I can come back. Otherwise, I wouldn't be giving my all to play domestic cricket. 100 percent I feel I can play for India again. It's just about putting up the performances and keeping the consistency,” he was quoted as saying in a PTI report

The seasoned domestic cricketer’s career has had its fair share of ups and downs. 'Dear cricket, give me one more chance,' he famously posted on social media after being dropped from Karnataka for the 2022-23 season, but he has excelled for Vidarbha in the ongoing Ranji season.

Reflecting on his topsy-turvy journey, he said that he has been batting well this season. He also admitted that sitting at home and watching others play was tough after he was axed by Karnataka.

"I think I have batted pretty well. I have got runs in all formats. I could have gone better in all formats but having said that, at least this season I have got quite a few runs starting from playing a few games in the County Championship," Nair said.

"I didn't play for a year so that was quite hard. I don't know what to say but it was obviously hard to sit at home and watch others play," he added.

Heading into Day 5 of the Ranji Trophy 2024 final, Nair is Vidarbha’s leading run-getter in the tournament, with 690 runs at an average of 40.58, including two hundreds and three fifties.

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“It's cricket, you never know what can happen” - Karun Nair on Day 5 of Ranji Trophy 2024 final

Despite putting up a brave fight on Day 4 of the Ranji Trophy 2024 final, Vidarbha remain on the back foot. Heading into the last day, they need 290 more with five wickets in hand.

Nair admitted that the team need to be realistic but added that anything can happen in cricket.

"We need to be realistic -- it's a tough task. But if I can say something about this team, it's that they never give up and they show character at each time that they are put down," he said.

"But it's cricket, you never know what can happen. I would have loved to have been batting overnight and then could have given you a better answer if I was batting," Nair concluded.

Vidarbha will resume Day 5 with captain Akshay Wadkar batting on 56 and Harsh Dubey on 11.