Karun Nair announced his return to the IPL with a thunderous statement, crafting one of the most memorable comeback knocks in recent memory. Playing his first IPL game in three years, Nair smashed 89 runs off just 40 deliveries against Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 13. While the innings came in a losing cause, it was a timely reminder of the class and composure that once saw him notch a Test triple century for India.
Nair, who had last featured in the IPL back in 2022 for Rajasthan Royals, walked into this edition of the tournament after an impressive domestic season. And he wasted no time making his presence felt. His knock, laced with 12 boundaries and 5 sixes, had the Mumbai bowlers on the ropes, particularly in the middle overs where his timing and strokeplay were nearly flawless. Even Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya admitted that, at one point, his team simply ran out of answers.
“We were running out of options. He kept taking his chances and executing so well,” Hardik Pandya said during the post-match presentation. “Winning is always special, especially in games like this. You have to keep fighting, and this one means a lot.”
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Pandya didn’t just stop at praising Nair. He was equally effusive about his team’s grit, especially under testing conditions with heavy dew making life difficult for the bowlers. He credited leg-spinner Karn Sharma, the Player of the Match, for bowling with courage and attacking intent despite the short boundaries.
“It shows great character to toss the ball up when the boundaries are just 60 metres,” he said. “We never gave up. The message was clear—stay in the contest, keep fighting.”
Hardik further shared how crucial it was to get his in-form batters more time at the crease and lauded the team’s ability to hang in when the game could’ve easily slipped away.
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“These are the wins that shift momentum. I’ve seen it before—one gritty victory like this can turn everything around,” he concluded.
While MI walked away with the points, it was Karun Nair who won the spotlight with a knock that could very well reignite his IPL career.
