Karun Nair en route his hundred.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
Karun Nair loves to bat on and on.
He loves it more if the stage is grander. Like a Ranji Trophy final, for instance. Back in 2014-15, he had made 328 to help Karnataka score a massive victory over Tamil Nadu.
A decade later, he has stamped his authority in another Ranji Trophy final. His unbeaten 132 (280b, 373min, 10×4, 2×6) has virtually ensured Vidarbha its third title in India’s most prestigious domestic tournament.
Riding on Karun’s classy knock, the host ended the fourth day at 249 for four at the VCA Stadium. An overall lead of 286 runs going into Sunday’s final day.
This is Karun’s ninth hundred across formats this season. It could easily have been 10th, if he hadn’t been run out for 86 in the first innings.
The main reason behind what now looks like Vidarbha’s match-winning first innings total was his fourth-wicket stand of 215 with Danish Malewar. The two batters, who clearly love each other’s company, frustrated Kerala on Saturday too, adding 182 for the third wicket.
And Vidarbha badly needed that partnership after the openers were back in the dressing room inside three overs.
Jalaj Saxena, the veteran off-spinner who came into the attack in just the second over, had Parth Rekhade lunging forward only to hear the unpleasant sound from behind, as the ball kept low and sneaked through the gate to disturb the stumps.
In the following over, Dhruv Shorey played well away from body and was caught by wicketkeeper Mohammed Azharuddeen, diving in front of slip. At seven for two, Vidarbha was in trouble.
It momentarily became nine for three, but Malewar, who was adjudged lbw to Jalaj, had a successful review. The 21-year-old, who had hit a sparkling hundred in the first innings, and his senior partner soon went about doing what they had been doing all season: accumulating runs with minimum risk.
Malewar (73, 162b, 263min, 5×4) was eventually caught at slip off Akshay Chandran. But Karun continued to bat serenely. He drove sweetly and when opportunities came, he also went aerial, like he did against Aditya Sarwate, lofting him for successive sixes.
Before that he had given a chance when he was on 31, but was dropped at slip by Akshay off Eden Apple Tom. Karun made Kerala pay dearly.
The scores:
Vidarbha — 1st Innings: 379.
Kerala — 1st Innings: 342.
Vidarbha — 2nd Innings: Parth Rekhade b Jalaj 1, Dhruv Shorey c Azharuddeen b Nidheesh 5, Danish Malewar c Baby b Akshay 73, Karun Nair (batting) 132, Yash Rathod lbw b Sarwate 24, Akshay Wadkar (batting) 4; Extras (b-5, lb-3, nb-2) 10; Total (for four wkts. in 90 overs): 249.
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-7, 3-189, 4-238.
Kerala bowling: Nidheesh 10-2-37-1, Jalaj 32-7-76-1, Eden 10-0-38-0, Sarwate 25-8-55-1, Basil 4-1-6-0, Akshay 9-1-29-1.
Published – March 01, 2025 07:14 pm IST