My knock has no value if the team has not won: Karun Nair

Karun Nair, a batter for Vidarbha, made a strong return in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a fantastic knock, even if the team lost to the Mumbai Indians. The 33-year-old batsman, however, was not happy with his innings because he was unable to help the Delhi Capitals win the game.

After three IPL seasons, Karun Nair appeared to be making a triumphant comeback as he entered the game as an Impact Player and ultimately hit 89 off just 40 deliveries. Additionally, it was his first half-century in the competition in seven years. Despite the fact that the ace batter had a fantastic innings, it turns out that he was not happy with the knock and would not discuss it at all at the press conference held after the game because his team had lost. He also discussed the significance of the set hitters remaining at the crease for a longer period of time.

“There is dissatisfaction since we play to win the match. And if the team loses, it doesn’t matter how many points we score. The team’s victory was crucial in my opinion, but it never materialised. However, it is a lesson learnt, and we will move forward. I hope to continue performing in this manner, and we will succeed. At the post-match celebration, the senior batter commented, “There is no point talking about my innings because I played well but could not finish, so there is disappointment.”

“The set batter obviously had an easier time playing than the new batter. Therefore, it was critical that a set batter continue. In the end, it was challenging for us because we lost wickets frequently. However, MI also bowled brilliantly and put pressure on us. In T20, relationships are crucial, and we were unable to create them. The Ranji Trophy 2024–25 winner continued, “But that happens because we are all looking to score runs quickly. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a learning; we have to take this forward in the next games and keep up the winning momentum that we have.”

I was prepared and eager for the opportunity in my mind: Karun Nair

Karun Nair would also have been impacted by the fact that he replaced Faf du Plessis, who was injured and missed the game. The India international also talked about how he was able to defeat players like Jasprit Bumrah, who scored 26 runs off of nine deliveries during the game.

“You see, we definitely lost a key player in Faf, and we always understood that there were some of us sitting outside who are batsmen who need to be ready at all times. I was so prepared mentally and eagerly awaiting the opportunity whenever it presented itself. I’m really glad I was given the chance. Now, it’s about me, taking advantage of that chance,” Karun remarked.

He said, “I was confident and I was playing; I was in the flow and I didn’t want to stop the flow, so it was about picking the right balls and playing to the areas that I wanted to play. He is the best bowler in world cricket right now, so I had to be very watchful of where he is going to bowl, but again, I just backed myself and backed the areas that I wanted to score.”