IPL 2022: ‘I’m Looking Forward To Playing An Exciting Brand Of Cricket’: Karun Nair Vows To Give His Best For RR Ahead Of IPL Kick-Off

The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022) will be full of thrills and spills as franchises prepare for the final run-in before the blockbuster event kicks off on Saturday (March 26). Karun Nair, who will be in his second spell with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) is determined and excited to play for the Royals with the presence of his fellow South Indian cricketers. Nair previously represented the Royals in the 2014-15 seasons and is once again ready to prove his worth in the squad.

The 30-year-old, who was born in Jodhpur, represents Karnataka in the domestic circuit and is joined by KC Cariappa, Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna in the RR squad. The Royals team contains a string of experienced players along with coach Kumar Sangakkara. Nair was a hit in the 2014 edition where he amassed 330 runs at a strike rate of 142.24.

Karun Nair looks forward to the challenge

“Obviously a lot of things have changed since when I was here (at the Royals) first, but this team always feels like home to me. We have a well-balanced side, and I’m enjoying getting to know all the guys here. It’s an exciting phase in the history of this franchise and I’m looking forward to playing an exciting brand of cricket, which I know the Royals always strive to do,” the 30-year-old Karnataka batter expressed.

Nair will be hoping for the same resurgence this time as well. After leaving RR in 2015, he joined Delhi and Punjab, before opting to return to the Royals. So far Nair has failed to establish himself as a star batter but is seen as a valuable addition to the squad. In 73 IPL matches, he has 1480 runs with a best of 83.

He will also have fond memories of his time with the Indian national team where he scored an unprecedented triple hundred. He ended with an unbeaten 303 against England in December 2019, just the second Indian player to score a triple hundred in Test match cricket.

Prospect of sharing the dressing room with big boys

“I’ve always loved playing with Sanju so I can’t wait to reconnect with him on the ground. We’ve had some really good partnerships over the years and I’m really happy to know Sanju, along with Kumar (Sangakkara) and Zubin (Bharucha), have shown the faith in me to bring me back into the team,” Nair said on the prospect of sharing the dressing room with Sanju Samson and Kumar Sangakkara.

Moreover, Nair will now be focused on catching some form ahead of the IPL season kick-off against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Tuesday (March 29) as Rajasthan try to win their first IPL since the inaugural edition in 2008.

Also Read: IPL 2022: Sanju Samson Has Got An Amazing Attitude – Ravichandran Ashwin