Karun Nair makes his case for India recall with another Ranji hundred

Karun Nair makes his case for India recall with another Ranji hundred

Karun Nair sent a timely reminder to the Indian selectors with another commanding century in the Ranji Trophy, as Karnataka took control against Kerala on the opening day of their Group B fixture in Bengaluru on Saturday.

The seasoned right-hander, who was left out of India's recent Test series against the West Indies, made his bat do the talking with a fluent unbeaten 142, steering Karnataka to 319 for three at stumps. His innings, laced with 14 boundaries and two sixes, showcased the composure and class that once made him one of the most promising middle-order batters in the country.

With this knock, Nair crossed the 9,000-run mark in first-class cricket, becoming only the sixth Karnataka batter to achieve the feat after Rahul Dravid, G.R. Vishwanath, Brijesh Patel, Syed Kirmani and Robin Uthappa. It was also his second hundred of the season, following an unbeaten 174 against Goa and a half-century versus Saurashtra earlier in the campaign.

‘Every time I walk out, it's about contributing to the team and playing with purpose,’ Nair said earlier this season when asked about his mindset after missing out on national selection. ‘I know the runs will take care of the rest.’

Having been a part of India's Test squad during the five-match series in England earlier this year, where he made 205 runs in eight innings, Nair's omission from the West Indies Tests raised eyebrows. The selectors instead turned to his younger Karnataka teammate Devdutt Padikkal, who has been transitioning successfully into a middle-order role.

Still, Nair remains undeterred. Barely a week after India's drawn series in England, he was back in domestic action despite a bruised right index finger sustained from a Gus Atkinson bouncer at The Oval. ‘We had a good chat, both teams were respectful of the fact that it was a great series. Brendon McCullum mentioned it was the greatest Test series to be played in recent memory,’ Nair had said about the experience.

On Saturday, after early blows left Karnataka wobbling at 13 for two, Nair rebuilt the innings with wicketkeeper Krishnan Shrijith (65) in a 166-run partnership for the third wicket. Later, Smaran Ravichandran (88 not out) joined Nair in another unbroken stand to consolidate Karnataka's dominance.

For Kerala, MD Nideesh, Nedumankuzhy Basil and Baba Aparajith picked up a wicket apiece, but it was Nair's day all through - a statement performance that once again underlined his hunger and readiness.