Mysuru Warriors Appoint Karun Nair As Captain For KPL 2017

Mysuru Warriors have appointed Karun Nair as the captain of the team for the upcoming season of the Karnataka Premier League (KPL). Nair is currently in South Africa leading India A in the unofficial Tests. The right-handed batsman, who became only the second Indian to score a triple-ton in Test cricket last year, will be looking to lead the team to a series-levelling win after India A were thrashed by 235 runs in the first match.

Meanwhile, Warriors will be hoping that the India international helps the franchise to perform better than the last season. The Warriors had finished the 2016 season at the top of the table after the league stage without suffering a single defeat but lost to eventual winners Bellary Tuskers in the semifinal.

“We are very confident about Karun Nair’s leadership skills. He along with our coaches has ability to guide the team to excellence. Our good wishes are with the team,” team owner Arjun Ranga said.

Moreover, Nair is also not new to captaincy although he is yet to prove his mettle as one. One of the most consistent performers in the domestic circuit, Nair led Delhi Daredevils in the absence of Zaheer Khan in this year’s Indian Premier League but failed to make a big impact. He also had a forgettable outing out with the bat as he had managed just 281 runs in 14 matches. However, Nair had said that captaincy does not affect his affecting and Warriors will be hoping that he was right.

“Captaincy has never affected my batting because when I go out to bat I move into my own space and also, the mindset does that change. Having said that, it is an additional responsibility and I have done well as a captain in the past,” he had told The Times of India before in June.

Meanwhile, the KPL, which began in 2009 before going on a three-year hiatus after the second season due to lack of publicity and inadequate facilities, will see seven teams- Kalyani Bengaluru,  Bijapur Bulls, Belagavi Panthers, Bellary Tuskers, Hubli Tigers, Mysuru Warriors and Namma Shivamogga – battling it out.

The tournament will kick off on September 1 with Hubli Tigers taking on Belagavi Panthers at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru while the final will be played on September 23 KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli. Earlier this month, the auction had taken place with over 200 players going under the hammer while a total of over Rs 2.06 crore was spent on 126 players.