Karun Nair, the Vidarbha star, had recently confirmed that he had thought about playing for Kerala after opting to leave Karnataka. But negotiations with the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) did not move ahead, and with a Vidarbha offer pending, he opted to go ahead without further ado.
Born in Rajasthan to Malayali parents, Karun Nair has origins in Kerala, although he was raised in Bengaluru, the city to which his father, Kaladharan Nair, had migrated for employment. Having played almost a decade for Karnataka, Nair was left on the sidelines in 2023, leading him to look elsewhere for opportunities.
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There were negotiations, but nothing happened,” Karun Nair revealed in an interview to Malayalam Channel 24. “When I realized that I was leaving Karnataka, I decided on my options. I did contact KCA, but nothing worked out. In the meantime, Vidarbha approached me, and I couldn’t allow the opportunity to slip by. I needed to be sure of a new beginning and some clarity, so I joined them.
Karun Nair says he approached KCA & offered himself to play for Kerala Cricket Team after he got the confirmation from Karnataka team that he won’t be picked this season but KCA didn’t proceed. At the same time Vidarbha approached him and he accepted their offer
What a miss 😶 pic.twitter.com/uW9Ra3hgcd
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Currently playing in the 2025 Ranji Trophy final against Kerala at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, Nair displayed his class with a vital 86 off 188 balls in the first innings before being run out in an unfortunate manner. Vidarbha scored 379 runs, and Kerala, inspired by captain Sachin Baby’s gritty 98, replied with 324/7.
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Karun Nair has played a crucial role in Vidarbha’s success in all formats, taking them to the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy season before this one, which they finished runners-up to his previous side, Karnataka. His performances have established Vidarbha as a force to be reckoned with in domestic cricket.
When asked if he might consider playing for Kerala in the future, Karun Nair remained open-ended. “You never know. If the opportunity arises, we’ll see,” he said, leaving the door slightly ajar for a potential homecoming.
