Sachin Tendulkar praises Karun Nair's exceptional performance in VHT
What's the story
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has praised Vidarbha skipper Karun Nair for his phenomenal showing in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. Nair's phenomenal form has taken Vidarbha to their first-ever final in the tournament. The former Karnataka batter, who last played a Test for India in 2017, has scored a staggering 752 runs from seven matches, including five tons and a half-century. Here are further details.
Record-breaking run
Nair's performance among best in Vijay Hazare Trophy history
Nair's phenomenal run in the tournament also includes a streak of 542 runs without getting out, which is a new List A world record for most runs between two dismissals. His performance is already the third-best in a single Vijay Hazare Trophy season. With another stellar display in the final against his former team Karnataka, Nair could well top this list.
Praise
Tendulkar commends Nair's dedication and perseverance
Tendulkar took to X, formerly Twitter, to laud Nair's phenomenal performance, crediting it to his intense focus and hard work. "Scoring 752 runs in seven innings with five centuries is nothing short of extraordinary," Tendulkar wrote. He urged Nair to continue his good form and make the most of every opportunity.
National recall?
Nair's form puts him back on national selectors' radar
Nair's phenomenal form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy has brought him back on the national selectors' radar for longer formats. His record-breaking run includes breaking Ruturaj Gaikwad's record for most runs by a captain in a single season of the tournament. In the semi-final against Maharashtra, Nair scored an unbeaten 88 off just 44 balls, just missing out on becoming only the second player to score five consecutive centuries in List A 50-over cricket.
Form
Nair's journey in 2024/25 VHT
Nair started with a knock of 112* versus Jammu & Kashmir. Thereafter, he hit an unbeaten 44 versus Chhattisgarh. The right-handed batter floored Chandigarh with a serious 163*. He then managed an unbeaten 111 against Tamil Nadu. He hammered 112 versus Uttar Pradesh next. Nair didn't bat against Mizoram before he scored 122* against Rajasthan in the quarters. In the crunch semi-final contest on Thursday, he hammered 88* as mentioned.
Information
Nair's superb returns in 2024/25 VHT
Nair's unbeaten 88 took him to 752 runs in the ongoing VHT season. He owns 5 tons, one fifty and a score of 44* from a total of 7 innings (8 matches). As per ESPNcricinfo, he averages 752. His strike rate is 125.96.
Twitter Post
Twitter Post
Scoring 752 runs in 7 innings with 5 centuries is nothing short of extraordinary, @karun126. Performances like these don’t just happen, they come from immense focus and hard work. Keep going strong and make every opportunity count!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 17, 2025