The 2018-19 season was a forgettable one for Karun Nair. He managed only one fifty in Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy campaign, was overlooked by Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, and couldn’t find a permanent place in the India ‘A’ teams.
The Karnataka batsman desperately needed a good start to the new season and the early signs suggest that he is on the right track.
Karun looked fluent during the course of his unbeaten 92 for India Red against India Blue on the first day of their Duleep Trophy outing here on Friday, and is poised to record his first first-class century in nearly two years.
The 27-year-old is keen to erase the past and start afresh. “I’ve had a good couple of months to prepare in the off-season. I got a hundred and a ninety in Dr Capt. K. Thimmappiah Memorial tournament, and I got time to work on my game. I had to work that much harder in the nets. Hopefully, I can turn this good preparation into good performances this year,” Karun said.
Karun, who has earned six Test caps, added, “I need to work on being consistent. Getting runs game after game is what takes a player to the highest level. I need to create that pressure on myself – perhaps by considering every game as a final.”
Karun can count on the support of his father, Kaladharan Nair, who intently watched his son bat at Alur (1) grounds here. “My father has watched every single game that I’ve ever played in Bengaluru. I feel that I need to score runs so that he feels happy,” Karun said.
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