The ongoing series between India and England has been one for the debutants. After Jayant Yadav impressed everyone with his skills, Karun Nair has blown away everybody after becoming the second Indian to score a triple century on day four of the fifth Test at Chennai on Monday.
Karun, who began day three on 71, smashed an outstanding 303* off 381 balls, post which India declared their first innings with a 282-run lead.
The Quint takes a look at the five facts about India’s newest cricket star.
Plays for Karnataka in Ranji Trophy
Karnataka batsman Karun Nair announced his arrival in the first-class arena in 2013-14, with three centuries in three consecutive Ranji matches. Two of the matches included the quarter-final and the semi-final of the tournament.
The 25-year-old was instrumental in helping Karnataka win their first Ranji title in 15 years and also clinch the Irani Trophy that year.
Nair recorded his highest first-class score of 328 runs in the Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu at Mumbai in 2015. Karnataka won the match by an innings and 127 runs.
Indian Premier League
Karun began his IPL career with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013. He played only two matches and notched just a duck and nine.
In the next season, Nair had a much better time with the Rajasthan Royals. He scored 330 runs at an average of 33. He recorded a highest score of 73* in the season, which came against Delhi Daredevils.
After a terrible season in 2015 with the Royals, Nair moved with coach Rahul Dravid to Delhi Daredevils in 2016.
He scored 357 runs in 14 matches, which included three fifties.
School and College
The Karnataka lad did a major part of his schooling in Frank Anthony Public School (FAPS) in Bengaluru.
When he was in the fourth standard, studying in Chinmayi School, FAPS’ cricket coach N Shashidhar and its then Principal Anthony Browne spotted Karun playing with a straight bat.
Shashidhar and Browne then asked Karun’s parents if he could join FAPS.
After being a consistent performer in school, he joined Mahaveer Jain College, where he took up cricket seriously.
Earned His Test Cap at Mohali
Karun Nair received his Test cap from the great Sunil Gavaskar before the third Test between India and England in November at Mohali.
However, Nair didn’t have the best of starts to his Test career as he got run out for just four runs.
He responded to Virat Kohli’s call (on strike) and went halfway done the track, but a brilliant bit of fielding by Jos Buttler undid Nair at the non-striker’s end, when he was running back to save his wicket.
ODI Debut vs Zimbabwe
Karun took the flight for his first international tournament with the senior Indian team for the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe in June this year.
But much like his first two Test innings, Karun had failed to impress in his first two ODI innings. He notched scores of 7 and 39 and eventually lost his place in the side for the final one-dayer.
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