Vijay Hazare Trophy: Karun Nair gives selectors more food for thought as Vidarbha thrash Maharashtra to enter final | Cricket News

Proper by means of this match, it hasn’t been nearly runs for Nair. In eight matches, he has been dismissed solely as soon as and out of the seven innings he has batted, he has crossed 50 six occasions with an unbeaten 44 in opposition to Chhattisgarh within the opening sport being his lowest rating to date.

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Vidarbha captain Karun Nair’s blistering ending knock of 88* off 44 in opposition to Maharashtra 🔥#VijayHazareTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/AW5jmfoiE1 pic.twitter.com/jQNnxssJVb

— BCCI Home (@BCCIdomestic) January 16, 2025

In the previous few seasons of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the likes of N Jagadeesan (830) and Prithvi Shaw (827) have churned out large scores. Devdutt Padikkal and Mayank Agarwal have achieved so too, tallying over 700 runs. Even Ruturaj Gaikwad, who watched helplessly as his Maharashtra assault struggled to regulate the run movement, has scored 660 in 5 matches.

However regardless of his wealthy vein of type, Nair should still battle to make the squad for the ODIs in opposition to England and the Champions Trophy. Within the 50-over format, India’s batting line-up is so packed that even their T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has been struggling to get in. With Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul being computerized picks, till selectors manufacture house in one of many different spots – a 3rd opener or a spinner – having one other middle-order batsman is a luxurious.

However doubtless, Nair has given selectors a reputation to ponder over, as an unreal common of 752 can’t be brushed apart by merely citing a packed batting line-up. How he matches into the XI is a headache for the workforce administration however not discovering a spot within the 15 would positively increase questions on whether or not home performances are rewarded.

Making it look simple

When Rathod and Shorey stitched a large 224-run stand for the opening wicket, the selectors might have breathed simple. When Nair walked out within the thirty fifth over, attending to a century appeared far-fetched. That he made 88 is a testomony to the shape he’s in and the way he wished to make full use of it. When batsmen are in such zones, all of it feels surreal and natural.

On Thursday, it was one other such event for Nair. Coming in at a stage when Vidarbha needed to shift gears, he didn’t drive the scenario upon himself. The busy participant that he’s, Nair began briskly and with Jitesh Sharma round to get the massive hits, he performed himself in earlier than liberating himself.

In contrast to earlier outings, there was no scoreboard strain which allowed him to showcase his vary with 9 boundaries and 5 sixes.

The dominant knock overshadowed two well-compiled centuries by Rathod and Shorey. There are traces of Shikhar Dhawan’s bat movement within the left-handed Rathod’s batting and it was him who began on a fast notice. By no means of their enormous partnership did they bat in high gear, but runs flowed off their bats as Shorey steadily caught up together with his opening accomplice. That Maharashtra’s fielding was additionally under par helped them, but it surely was however a scientific present from Vidarbha.

With 381 to chase, for Maharashtra to make a match of this, they wanted Gaikwad to return good with the bat. However the opener’s woeful run of type continued – he was out for 7 with Jitesh taking a diving catch – and Maharashtra’s chase by no means actually bothered Vidarbha. Opener Arshin Kulkarni began slowly to finish up with 90 off 101 deliveries earlier than 50 from Ankit Bawne and 49 from Nikhil Naik diminished Maharashtra’s margin of defeat.

Temporary scores: Vidarbha 380 in 50 overs (Yash Rathod 116, Dhruv Shorey 114, Karun Nair 88 n.o, Jitesh Sharma 51) bt Maharashtra 311/7 in 50 overs (Arshin Kulkarni 90, Ankit Bawne 50, Nikhil Naik 49; Darshan Nalkande 3/64, Nachiket Bhute 3/68) by 69 runs