Karun Nair : Early Life & Family Background

Karun Nair was born on 6 December 1991 in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, to parents originally from Chengannur, Kerala. His father, Kaladharan Nair, is a mechanical engineer, and his mother, Prema Nair, is a school teacher. When Karun Nair was young, the family moved to Koramangala, Bengaluru, where his father worked at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium’s sprinkler system and his mother taught at Chinmaya Vidyalaya. Karun has an elder sister, Shruthi Nair.

Born prematurely, doctors recommended sports to improve his lung health. He began training at the Koramangala Cricket Academy in 2001 under coach Shivanand.

Schooling & Education

Karun Nair attended Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Bengaluru, where his mother initially taught. To access better cricketing opportunities, he later switched to Frank Anthony Public School. He pursued higher studies at Jain University, Bangalore, earning a BCom (Hons) degree. Nair is multilingual, fluent in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Tamil, with Malayalam being his mother tongue.

Rise Through Domestic Cricket: Karnataka & Vidarbha

First-Class & Ranji Trophy Highlights

• Domestic debut: 2013–14 Ranji season for Karnataka, where he made an instant impact by scoring three consecutive centuries, contributing to Karnataka’s title triumph.
• In the 2014–15 Ranji final, Karun Nair smashed 328 runs, becoming the first player in nearly 70 years to score a triple century in a Ranji final—a record for the highest-ever total in such a match.
• Continued domestic dominance with consistent seasons, including 500+ runs in 2015–16 and becoming a standout in subsequent years.

Move to Vidarbha & Resurgence

In the 2024–25 domestic season, Karun Nair switched to Vidarbha and delivered a historic performance:

• Vijay Hazare Trophy: amassed 779 runs, including five centuries, averaging an astonishing 389.50.
• Ranji Trophy: tallied 863 runs with four centuries, leading Vidarbha to the title.
• Set a world-standing List A record by scoring 542 runs without being dismissed, including three consecutive centuries.

County Cricket

Karun Nair also represented Northamptonshire in English county cricket, scoring 249 runs at an impressive average of 83, including a century against the eventual champions, Surrey.

International Career: Record-Breaking Feats & Comebacks

Debut and Triple Century

• ODI debut: June 11, 2016, against Zimbabwe.
• Test debut: November 26, 2016, against England in Mohali.
• In just his third Test innings, Nair produced a sensational 303 not out in Chennai. He became only the second Indian (after Sehwag) to score a Test triple-century and the quickest in Test history to convert a maiden century into a triple.
• Despite this feat, he was dropped soon after to make way for Ajinkya Rahane.

Return to International Arena

Following years out of the team, Nair’s domestic form booked him a return:

• Selected for India A’s tour of England in 2025, earning praise for his technique and temperament—drawing comparisons to Dravid, Laxman, and Pujara.
• Made a record comeback, becoming the first cricketer ever to return to the national side after an 8-year gap .
• However, after modest returns in the England Test series, he was dropped again following a lackluster performance.

Sportsmanship Highlight

During the 5th Test at The Oval, Nair demonstrated true spirit of cricket—refusing a fourth run after noticing England’s Chris Woakes injured his shoulder while saving a boundary—earning widespread praise.

Indian Premier League (IPL) Journey

• Debut with Royal Challengers Bangalore: in 2013.
• Breakthrough season with Rajasthan Royals: 2014, scoring 330 runs at a strike rate over 142.
• Delhi Daredevils (2016–17): captained three matches in 2017.
• Moved to Kings XI Punjab (2018–2020), KKR (2021), and back to Rajasthan Royals in 2022 .
• In IPL 2025, returned with Delhi Capitals and made a big impact on his first match—89 off 40 balls against Mumbai Indians.

Personal Life & Trivia

• Boat accident survivor: survived a dangerous boating mishap in Kerala in July 2016.
• Personal milestones:
  • Engaged to longtime girlfriend Sanaya Tankariwala in June 2019.
  • Married in January 2020 in Udaipur.
  • The couple welcomed their son, Kayaan, in January 2022.

Summary Table: Quick Facts

ALSO READ–

• From Sleeping in a Tent to Scoring Hundreds – Read Jaiswal’s Shocking Journey!
• Narayan Jagadeesan’s Journey: From Debut to Records…
• Anshul Kamboj Biography: From Karnal’s Streets to India’s Fast-Bowling Future

Karun Nair’s career is a testament to resilience, domestic brilliance, and unforgettable performances. His unique journey—from a triple-century maker to a long-overdue comeback—makes for an inspiring cricketing story.