The ‘Second Chance’: Karun Nair Back In Style (image: x.com/CricCrazyJohns)
Three years back, Karun Nair posted on X (formerly Twitter), “Give me one more chance”. The tweet was noticed by none until yesterday when its screenshots went viral. It wasn’t for nothing as the cricketer announced his return in IPL after three years with a blistering knock of 89 off 40 balls for Delhi Capitals (DC) against Mumbai Indians(MI).
Nair was really storming like he was no way back grabbing his chance, filling in for the injured Faf du Plessis with both hands. Despite DC losing the match by 12 runs, the Karnataka batsman was the talk of the night with the cricket fans across India lauding his determination and precision. While falling 11 short of a well-deserved century he had hit the MI bowlers out of the park, especially Indian pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah. After smashing the pacer for two fours in his first over Nair went even bigger in his second, which came during the final over of the power play, cracking two big sixes. Interestingly, it was the first time since 2021 Bumrah conceded two maximums in a single over.
It was in 2022 Nair last played in IPL, after which he went unsold for two seasons. Even in the last three seasons he played, Nair only scored a cheap 38 runs getting only six innings to bat. Hitting a fifty yesterday, there was a gap of 2520 days after his last half century, most by any in the tournament’s history.
Nair’s comeback doesn’t begin with the IPL. After hitting a historic triple ton for Indian test team in 2016, he was opted out of the team forever when his further performances unimpressed selectors. While he was posting his now-viral tweet in 2022, he had moved even worse, being ruled out of the Karnataka state team in domestic cricket, ending up without a team in 2023.
But 2024 was all set for his roaring back, dominating all formats in domestic cricket while playing for Vidarbha. Across first class, List A, and T20 tournaments, he scored more runs (3035) and more centuries (12) than any other player. The most notable performances came in Vijay Hazare Trophy where he was the leading run scorer with 779 runs in just eight innings at a whooping average of 389.5 assisted by five centuries. His heroics even made fans call for his inclusion in India’s champions trophy squad.
Inevitably, IPL franchises took notice. Delhi Capitals picked him up for a modest ₹50 lakhs—a bargain in hindsight. Now, at 33, Nair is not just making a comeback; he’s making a statement, proving he’s still got plenty to offer and is determined to make the most of his second chance.
(This story is part of a Timeline internship project)
