Karun Nair is widely known for being the 2nd Indian to score a triple hundred in Tests. He achieved this feat in 2016 when he scored 303* against England. India had registered their highest-ever score in Test matches in that game- 759/7d.
However, Nair faded into oblivion post that landmark. He received fewer opportunities as compared to other cricketers and also failed to leave a lasting impression in the domestic circuit of India. In IPL too, the once captain of the Delhi franchise, Karun Nair has failed to make it to the starting XI on most occasions.
Karun Nair was one of the 9 players released by the Rajasthan Royals (RR). There are high chances that teams might get hold of Nair for a lesser price. This is purely because has not had the best of records in IPL so far.
In this article, we take a look at 3 teams that can get hold of Karun Nair in the upcoming IPL auction:
1. Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
A like-for-like replacement of Robin Uthappa (except for wicket-keeping abilities), Karun Nair can be a vital cog of CSK in the middle-order. CSK had a terrible IPL in 2022 where-in they finished in the 9th position. Thus, they might want a batter who can bring stability to the middle order. This is where Nair fits the bit. Karun Nair has a solid technique and is a very compact middle-order batter. CSK has also released Narayan Jagadeesan and they don’t have a lot of quality middle-order batters in their ranks.
2. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
With the experienced middle-order batter, Manish Pandey been shown the door by the LSG franchise, Karun Nair’s services can be acquired by KL Rahul’s Lucknow side. LSG finished 4th in IPL 2022 and they would be hoping to display a better performance in the coming IPL 2023. Skipper KL Rahul and Karun Nair hail from the same state, Karnataka and they share a good rapport.
3. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
KKR needs a good and solid opening pair along with Venkatesh Iyer. They have released the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Alex Hales, and Aaron Finch and there is a void in the opening position. Karun Nair could well fill up that void with his batting abilities. Nair could also be slotted into the middle order if the KKR management decides to make Nitish Rana open the innings.
Also read: “IPL Is So Powerful, The Teams Will Take Over”: Glenn Maxwell Opines On The IPL & Big Bash League
