After Vijay Hazare Dominance, Karun Nair scores Century in Ranji Trophy QFs

It seems like there is no stopping Karun Nair. Only a few weeks back, Nair produced arguably the greatest Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign in history, scoring 779 runs at an average of 389.50, smashing five hundreds in eight innings. He nearly single-handedly won the title for Vidarbha. 

Even in a different format, Nair continued his dominance. The 33-year-old smashed his 22nd century in first-class cricket, this one coming in the quarter final of the Ranji Trophy against Tamil Nadu.

Vidarbha were in a big spot of bother at 44/3 when Nair walked in, but he absorbed all the pressure and compiled a nerveless hundred to put his side on the front foot in the knockout clash.

Eventually, Vidarbha ended day one on 264/6 with Nair unbeaten on 100.

This was the right-hander’s second consecutive ton in this Ranji Trophy season too. He scored a second innings ton (105) in Vidarbha’s previous encounter, against Hyderabad in Nagpur. 

Nair now has scored 1,717 runs in red-ball cricket since the start of 2024, at an average of 46.41. He has scored six tons in 24 matches. 

The 33-year-old is making a case to return to the Indian side in not one but two formats, piling on the runs in both List A and first-class games.