Tag: Karun Nair

Early Life & Background

Karun Kaladharan Nair was born on December 6, 1991, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. His parents, originally from Kerala, later settled in Bengaluru—father Kaladharan worked as a mechanical engineer, and mother Prema taught at Chinmaya Vidyalaya. A premature birth led doctors to recommend sports for his lung health, sparking his early interest in cricket. At age 10, he joined the Koramangala Cricket Academy and honed his skills under coach Shivanand. Educated at Chinmaya Vidyalaya and later Frank Anthony Public School, he pursued a BCom (Hons) at Jain University. Fluent in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Tamil, his mother tongue is Malayalam.

Personal Traits & Lifestyle

Nair balances determination with humility. Mentally resilient, he once described his 2022 career dip as “quite a dark place,” yet he emerged stronger. He leads a disciplined life, focusing on fitness, technical refinement, and consistent performances. Known for his calm under pressure, Karun adapts easily between red-ball and white-ball formats.

Personal Life

He hails from a close-knit family, with an elder sister Shruthi. In July 2016, Nair survived a serious boat accident on Kerala’s Pampa River during a temple visit. He got engaged to Sanaya Tankariwala in June 2019 and married her on January 19, 2020, in Udaipur. The couple welcomed their son, Kayaan, in January 2022.

Youth & Domestic Career

Karun debuted in first-class cricket with Karnataka in 2013–14. Remarkably, he scored three consecutive hundreds in the Ranji league and semis, then smashed 328 in the final to win back-to-back titles. In 2015, he became the first player since 1947 to hit a triple-century in a Ranji final. He totaled 500+ runs that season, including two centuries and two fifties .

Later, he featured for India A and India Red in Deodhar and Duleep Trophy matches. In 2023, he played county cricket for Northamptonshire. Ahead of 2024–25, he joined Vidarbha—scoring six first-class centuries and averaging near 50. Most notably, he set a List-A record in January 2025 by scoring 542 runs without dismissal during the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

International Career

Nair debuted in ODIs against Zimbabwe on June 11, 2016. He earned his Test cap against England in Mohali on November 26, 2016. In just his third Test innings, he made a stellar unbeaten 303 in Chennai, becoming only the second Indian after Sehwag—and just the third-ever—to convert a maiden Test ton into a triple. Despite this feat, he played only eight Tests and two ODIs through July 2025.

In May 2025, his resurgence included a robust 204 for India A against England Lions, earning him a Test recall after eight years. He debuted for India in the 2025 England Tests but had mixed results, including a duck at Edgbaston and a top score of 31.

IPL Career

Nair joined the IPL with RCB in 2012–13, then moved to Rajasthan Royals in 2014, scoring 330 runs at a 142+ strike rate. In 2016, Delhi Daredevils bought him; he even led them in three matches during 2017. From 2018 to 2020, he played for Kings XI Punjab . KKR drafted him in 2021, and he rejoined Royals in 2022 .

He re-entered the IPL in 2025 with Delhi Capitals. On his return, he scored a stunning 89 off 40 deliveries as an Impact Player against Mumbai—his highest IPL score after a hiatus of over 1,000 days. The innings included a 22-ball fifty and two sixes off Jasprit Bumrah. Despite the knock, Delhi lost, but the performance reignited hope in his T20 future.

Comebacks

Throughout his career, Nair has remained relatively injury-free. He did suffer a minor rib injury during a net session before the 2025 England tour. His greater challenges were form-related: being dropped post-triple-century, experiencing silent years in domestic play, and enduring mental setbacks .

After moving to Vidarbha, he overcame his slump, achieving six centuries and an unbeaten List-A record. His spirited return to the Test side in 2025 reflects his mental resilience and determination.