Karun Nair rose to the occasion on a challenging green-top at The Oval. His composed innings … Karun Nair’s Comeback Fifty Steadies India After Middle-Order CollapseRead more
Karun Nair
| Name | Karun Kaladharan Nair |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 06/12/1991 |
| National Side | India |
| Batting Style | Right-handed |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm off break |
| Role | Top-order batter |
| Spouse | Sanaya Tankariwala |
Karun Nair’s Redemption Journey Ends as India Drop Him for 4th Test
Karun Nair’s Test comeback hit a painful roadblock as India excluded him from the playing XI … Karun Nair’s Redemption Journey Ends as India Drop Him for 4th TestRead more
Karun Kaladharan Nair, born on 6 December 1991 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, is a right-handed top-order batter and an occasional right-arm off-break bowler. Standing at approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, Nair has represented India in both Tests and ODIs, becoming only the second Indian cricketer to score a Test triple-century with his remarkable knock of 303 runs. At the domestic level, he is currently associated with Vidarbha for the 2024–25 season and is set to return to Karnataka in 2025–26. In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, he plays for the Delhi Capitals, having previously featured for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils/Capitals, and Kings XI Punjab.
Career summary (major formats)
| Format | Matches | Runs | Avg | 100s/50s | HS |
| Tests | 10 | 579 | 41.36 | 1/1 | 303* |
| ODIs | 2 | 46 | 23.00 | 0/0 | 39 |
| First-class | 119+ | 8,601+ | 48.86 | 24/36 | 328 |
| List A | 107 | 3,128 | 41.15 | 8/14 | 163* |
Early Life
Karun Nair was born in Jodhpur to parents from Kerala and grew up in Bengaluru, where his cricket took shape on the maidans around M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. He joined junior coaching early and represented school and university teams in the city before breaking into Karnataka age-group cricket.
Personal Life
In July 2016, shortly after his India debut, Nair survived a boat accident during a thanksgiving visit to a Kerala temple. He married Sanaya Tankariwala in January 2020; the couple welcomed a son in 2022.
Domestic Career
Nair’s domestic career has two distinct chapters: his trophy-laden rise with Karnataka and a productive, career-reviving stint with Vidarbha.
Karnataka (debut – 2021/22)
- Integral to Karnataka’s Ranji/T20 setup through the 2010s, stacking up first-class runs with a classical, risk-managed method.
- Became one of India’s most consistent Ranji top-order batters, which paved his way to India A and then the national side.
Move to Vidarbha (2022/23 – 2024/25)
- Switched from Karnataka to Vidarbha ahead of the 2022–23 season seeking more red-ball opportunity.
- 2024–25: Compiled a huge Ranji haul (around 860+ runs @ ~54), a key pillar in Vidarbha’s title-winning campaign and his recall momentum.
India A and County sharpening
- Northamptonshire (County Championship): Signed late in 2023 for three matches; returned in April 2024 after scoring 78, 150, 21 in 2023, and posted an unbeaten double-hundred in 2024 Division Two action.
- India A (2025): Selected for the England tour after his domestic surge.
Homecoming to Karnataka (2025–26)
- Cleared by Vidarbha with an NOC to rejoin Karnataka for 2025–26, closing the loop on his domestic journey.
Selected domestic highlights
| Season/Team | Competition | Notable Returns |
| 2014–17 Karnataka | Ranji Trophy | Heavy run-getter; propelled India A call-ups. |
| 2023 Northamptonshire | County Championship | 78 & 150 in three innings on debut stint. |
| 2024 Northamptonshire | County Championship | Unbeaten double-ton vs Glamorgan. |
| 2024–25 Vidarbha | Ranji Trophy | ~863 runs @ 53.9 in title season. |
Test Career
Nair debuted in the Mohali Test vs England (Nov 2016) and authored one of Indian cricket’s most remarkable entries into Test folklore a month later: 303 at Chennai* in only his third Test innings, becoming:
- India’s second Test triple-centurion (after Virender Sehwag).
- Third in Test history to convert a maiden hundred into a triple.
India amassed 759/7 decl., their then-highest Test total, and Nair was Player of the Match as India won by an innings.
His Test opportunities were limited thereafter due to intense middle-order competition, but 2024–25 domestic/county returns and an India A reboot pushed him back into the national frame for the 2025 England tour.
Test batting summary
| Span | Matches | Inns | Runs | Avg | 100s/50s | HS |
| 2016–2025 | 10 | 15 | 579 | 41.36 | 1/1 | 303* |
ODI Career
Nair’s ODI appearances came on the 2016 Zimbabwe tour (two games). Batting at the top order, he made 39 and 7, finishing with 46 runs @ 23.00. India swept the series as a new-look side blooded bench strength.
ODI batting summary
| Matches | Runs | Avg | SR | HS |
| 2 | 46 | 23.00 | ~52 | 39 |
T20I Career
Nair has not played a T20I for India as of August 2025; his white-ball international footprint is limited to the 2016 ODIs.
IPL Career (and other T20 leagues)
A long-serving IPL professional, Nair has featured across multiple franchises:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (2013) — debut season.
- Rajasthan Royals (2014–15, 2022) — breakthrough with 330 runs in 2014 at a brisk strike-rate.
- Delhi Daredevils/Capitals (2016–17, 2025– ) — leadership cameos in 2017 as stand-in captain.
- Kings XI Punjab (2018–20) — middle-order role.
- Delhi Capitals (2025) — re-acquired; part of the batting group during the season.
Beyond the IPL, his T20 skill-set — strong square-of-the-wicket play and late acceleration — has been honed in domestic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy cricket.
Records and Achievements
- Second Indian to score a *Test triple-century (303)**; came in his third Test innings — an ultra-rare conversion of maiden ton → triple.
- Key contributor in Vidarbha’s 2024–25 Ranji triumph (over 850 runs), powering a national comeback case.
- Successful County stints with Northamptonshire (2023–24), including 150 on debut and an unbeaten double-ton in 2024.
Test landmark: 303* vs England (Chennai, Dec 2016)
| Match | Venue | Result | Nair’s Score | Notes |
| India v England, 5th Test (2016/17) | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | India won by an innings & 75 | 303* | Player of the Match; India 759/7 decl., then-highest total. |
Playing style & strengths
- Technique: Compact set-up with a late downswing; strong through cover-point and mid-wicket; rotates strike well against spin.
- Temperament: Long-haul concentration in FC innings (multiple 200+ scores across domestic/county).
- Role fit (Tests): No. 4/5 consolidator who can bat big once set — evidenced by Chennai 303* and county marathon knocks.
Extended statistics (domestic aggregates)
| Competition | Matches | Runs | Avg | 100s/50s | HS |
| First-class (overall) | 119+ | 8,601+ | 48.86 | 24/36 | 328 |
| List A (overall) | 107 | 3,128 | 41.15 | 8/14 | 163* |
| T20 (career) | 170+ | 3,600+ | ~26 | 2/22 | — |
Recent timeline
- Sep 2023: Signs for Northamptonshire for final three County matches.
- Apr 2024: Returns to Northants; later registers a county double-hundred.
- 2024–25: Prolific Ranji season for Vidarbha; scored over 850 runs, underpinning the title.
- May–Aug 2025: Picked for India A tour of England and considered for India’s Test group.
- Jul 2025: Receives NOC to return to Karnataka for 2025–26 season.
Legacy & outlook
Karun Nair’s career embodies the long arc of Indian red-ball batting: early domestic excellence, a historic Test high, a period in the wilderness, and a grind back through county and Ranji runs. With a homecoming to Karnataka and renewed national consideration, his 30s are now about turning consistency into a durable second wind at the highest level.
Karun Kaladharan Nair, born on 6 December 1991 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, is a right-handed top-order batter and an occasional right-arm off-break bowler. Standing at approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, Nair has represented India in both Tests and ODIs, becoming only the second Indian cricketer to score a Test triple-century with his remarkable knock of 303 runs. At the domestic level, he is currently associated with Vidarbha for the 2024–25 season and is set to return to Karnataka in 2025–26. In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, he plays for the Delhi Capitals, having previously featured for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils/Capitals, and Kings XI Punjab.
Career summary (major formats)
| Format | Matches | Runs | Avg | 100s/50s | HS |
| Tests | 10 | 579 | 41.36 | 1/1 | 303* |
| ODIs | 2 | 46 | 23.00 | 0/0 | 39 |
| First-class | 119+ | 8,601+ | 48.86 | 24/36 | 328 |
| List A | 107 | 3,128 | 41.15 | 8/14 | 163* |
Early Life
Karun Nair was born in Jodhpur to parents from Kerala and grew up in Bengaluru, where his cricket took shape on the maidans around M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. He joined junior coaching early and represented school and university teams in the city before breaking into Karnataka age-group cricket.
Personal Life
In July 2016, shortly after his India debut, Nair survived a boat accident during a thanksgiving visit to a Kerala temple. He married Sanaya Tankariwala in January 2020; the couple welcomed a son in 2022.
Domestic Career
Nair’s domestic career has two distinct chapters: his trophy-laden rise with Karnataka and a productive, career-reviving stint with Vidarbha.
Karnataka (debut – 2021/22)
- Integral to Karnataka’s Ranji/T20 setup through the 2010s, stacking up first-class runs with a classical, risk-managed method.
- Became one of India’s most consistent Ranji top-order batters, which paved his way to India A and then the national side.
Move to Vidarbha (2022/23 – 2024/25)
- Switched from Karnataka to Vidarbha ahead of the 2022–23 season seeking more red-ball opportunity.
- 2024–25: Compiled a huge Ranji haul (around 860+ runs @ ~54), a key pillar in Vidarbha’s title-winning campaign and his recall momentum.
India A and County sharpening
- Northamptonshire (County Championship): Signed late in 2023 for three matches; returned in April 2024 after scoring 78, 150, 21 in 2023, and posted an unbeaten double-hundred in 2024 Division Two action.
- India A (2025): Selected for the England tour after his domestic surge.
Homecoming to Karnataka (2025–26)
- Cleared by Vidarbha with an NOC to rejoin Karnataka for 2025–26, closing the loop on his domestic journey.
Selected domestic highlights
| Season/Team | Competition | Notable Returns |
| 2014–17 Karnataka | Ranji Trophy | Heavy run-getter; propelled India A call-ups. |
| 2023 Northamptonshire | County Championship | 78 & 150 in three innings on debut stint. |
| 2024 Northamptonshire | County Championship | Unbeaten double-ton vs Glamorgan. |
| 2024–25 Vidarbha | Ranji Trophy | ~863 runs @ 53.9 in title season. |
Test Career
Nair debuted in the Mohali Test vs England (Nov 2016) and authored one of Indian cricket’s most remarkable entries into Test folklore a month later: 303 at Chennai* in only his third Test innings, becoming:
- India’s second Test triple-centurion (after Virender Sehwag).
- Third in Test history to convert a maiden hundred into a triple.
India amassed 759/7 decl., their then-highest Test total, and Nair was Player of the Match as India won by an innings.
His Test opportunities were limited thereafter due to intense middle-order competition, but 2024–25 domestic/county returns and an India A reboot pushed him back into the national frame for the 2025 England tour.
Test batting summary
| Span | Matches | Inns | Runs | Avg | 100s/50s | HS |
| 2016–2025 | 10 | 15 | 579 | 41.36 | 1/1 | 303* |
ODI Career
Nair’s ODI appearances came on the 2016 Zimbabwe tour (two games). Batting at the top order, he made 39 and 7, finishing with 46 runs @ 23.00. India swept the series as a new-look side blooded bench strength.
ODI batting summary
| Matches | Runs | Avg | SR | HS |
| 2 | 46 | 23.00 | ~52 | 39 |
T20I Career
Nair has not played a T20I for India as of August 2025; his white-ball international footprint is limited to the 2016 ODIs.
IPL Career (and other T20 leagues)
A long-serving IPL professional, Nair has featured across multiple franchises:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (2013) — debut season.
- Rajasthan Royals (2014–15, 2022) — breakthrough with 330 runs in 2014 at a brisk strike-rate.
- Delhi Daredevils/Capitals (2016–17, 2025– ) — leadership cameos in 2017 as stand-in captain.
- Kings XI Punjab (2018–20) — middle-order role.
- Delhi Capitals (2025) — re-acquired; part of the batting group during the season.
Beyond the IPL, his T20 skill-set — strong square-of-the-wicket play and late acceleration — has been honed in domestic Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy cricket.
Records and Achievements
- Second Indian to score a *Test triple-century (303)**; came in his third Test innings — an ultra-rare conversion of maiden ton → triple.
- Key contributor in Vidarbha’s 2024–25 Ranji triumph (over 850 runs), powering a national comeback case.
- Successful County stints with Northamptonshire (2023–24), including 150 on debut and an unbeaten double-ton in 2024.
Test landmark: 303* vs England (Chennai, Dec 2016)
| Match | Venue | Result | Nair’s Score | Notes |
| India v England, 5th Test (2016/17) | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | India won by an innings & 75 | 303* | Player of the Match; India 759/7 decl., then-highest total. |
Playing style & strengths
- Technique: Compact set-up with a late downswing; strong through cover-point and mid-wicket; rotates strike well against spin.
- Temperament: Long-haul concentration in FC innings (multiple 200+ scores across domestic/county).
- Role fit (Tests): No. 4/5 consolidator who can bat big once set — evidenced by Chennai 303* and county marathon knocks.
Extended statistics (domestic aggregates)
| Competition | Matches | Runs | Avg | 100s/50s | HS |
| First-class (overall) | 119+ | 8,601+ | 48.86 | 24/36 | 328 |
| List A (overall) | 107 | 3,128 | 41.15 | 8/14 | 163* |
| T20 (career) | 170+ | 3,600+ | ~26 | 2/22 | — |
Recent timeline
- Sep 2023: Signs for Northamptonshire for final three County matches.
- Apr 2024: Returns to Northants; later registers a county double-hundred.
- 2024–25: Prolific Ranji season for Vidarbha; scored over 850 runs, underpinning the title.
- May–Aug 2025: Picked for India A tour of England and considered for India’s Test group.
- Jul 2025: Receives NOC to return to Karnataka for 2025–26 season.
Legacy & outlook
Karun Nair’s career embodies the long arc of Indian red-ball batting: early domestic excellence, a historic Test high, a period in the wilderness, and a grind back through county and Ranji runs. With a homecoming to Karnataka and renewed national consideration, his 30s are now about turning consistency into a durable second wind at the highest level.