A 32-year-old standout from the Indian squad of seven years ago cracks a double hundred in the County Championship

32-year-old Karun Nair, who has been on the Indian squad for seven years, has blasted a double century in the current County Championship season. The 11th game of the season at County Ground in Northampton saw Nair, who was unsold in the Indian Premier League auction, hit an undefeated 202 from 253 deliveries for Northamptonshire against Glamorgan.

On Sunday, Nair began the third day of play at bat, undefeated at 55. Using his variety of strokes, he reached the double ton and helped his side reach 605/6. The Northamptonshire captain responded by requesting an instant declaration.

Notably, Nair last wore the Indian whites during a home Test series against Australia in 2017. Since then, he has not participated in any international cricket. With 690 runs to his credit, he was the leading run scorer for Vidarbha during the 2023–24 Ranji Trophy. After being fired by Karnataka during the 2022–2023 season, Nair joined Vidarbha before the 2023–24 season.

With the bat, Nair was crucial in enabling Vidarbha to finish second in the Ranji Trophy 2023–24. He declared his desire to play for India once again. “I believe my batting has been really good. I possess runs in every format. After smashing 74 runs against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final, Nair told the reporters, “I could have done better in all formats, but having said that, at least this season I have got quite a few runs starting from playing a few games in the County Championship.”

“I am certain that I can return 100%. I wouldn’t be playing domestic cricket with all of my heart if not. I really believe I can represent India once again. With a return in sight, Nair said, “It’s just about putting up the performances and keeping the consistency.”