New Delhi: Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna picked up a big wicket of Karun Nair during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024 final between Karnataka and Vidarbha at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Saturday, January 18.
In the 15th over, Krishna bowled a back-of-a-length delivery which nips in a touch and Karun did not cover his stumps due to the lack of bounce. The ball sneaks under his bat and hits the off-stump. This was the first time that he failed to register a 50+ score in the tournament. Nair’s dismissal came hours after his omission from the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy.
Big wicket 💪
Prasidh Krishna gets the crucial wicket of Karun Nair 🙌#VijayHazareTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/ZZjfWXaajB pic.twitter.com/0D0CUIyuYO
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 18, 2025
Nair scored 27 runs off 31 balls in the final and his golden run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy also came to an end. The Vidarbha captain amassed 779 runs in eight innings at a sensational average of 389.50. Despite delivering an astonishing performance with the bat, Nair was not picked in India’s 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy.
He batted at No.3 in the domestic 50-over tournament, a spot which is occupied by star batter Virat Kohli in the national team. Nair also came to bat at No. 4 or 5 depending on the conditions but those slots are also occupied by Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in the Indian team. Both the players have performed exceptionally well for the team in the ODI format. His omission from the Indian team will raise questions about the relevance of performing in the domestic circuit.
‘Those are really special performances’: Ajit Agarkar
Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar praised Karun Nair’s sensational performance and said that it was tough to leave him out and the management had a chat about him during the squad discussions for the Champions Trophy 2025.
“But at the moment, to find a spot in this team is very difficult. I mean, look at the guys who’ve been picked. All average well in excess of mid-40s. So, unfortunately, you can’t fit everyone in. It’s a squad of 15. But those performances (like Karun) certainly make you take notice” Agarkar said in the press conference to announce the Indian squads for the Champions Trophy.
Karun Nair scored 779 runs in eight Vijay Hazare Trophy matches but failed to make an impact with the bat in the final against Karnataka. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
