Karun Nair Not Looking Far Into Future, Focuses On Career Relaunch After Struggles

Having tackled challenges of various natures, Karun Nair is on a tough career-rebuilding process but the India batter does not want to look too far ahead as he feels it can make him stuck in one place. (More Cricket News)

It has been seven years since Karun has played a match for India but he has shown a bit of old fire in the last year or so, garnering runs for Vidarbha and for Northamptonshire in English county cricket.

바카라�You have to be prepared for the grind. It바카라�s just about the next game. And I'm not looking too far into the future because sometimes you can get stuck in thinking about what's going to happen,바카라� Karun told PTI in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

바카라�I've scored a lot of runs in the last year in all formats. I've just been trying to continue doing what I've been doing the last year on every given opportunity바카라�taking every opportunity as a new day,바카라� he added.

The first hint of a positive turnaround in Karun바카라�s career came when he turned out for Northamptonshire in early 2023 when he made 249 runs from three matches at an average of 83 that contained a hundred against eventual champions Surrey.

This year, Karun aggregated 487 runs from seven matches at an average of 49 including a century against Glamorgan.

These are not mind-blowing numbers, but good enough to instil oodles of confidence in a batsman who was struggling to find some purpose in his craft.

바카라�You are playing with a different ball there 바카라� literally. Everyone knows for Indian batsmen to go and score runs in England바카라�to play the moving ball is tough. So, I've learnt a lot more about myself as a batsman and finding ways to score runs and believing in yourself.

바카라�There are so many things that I've learnt in England that, you know, maybe I had it in me but I didn't realise all this while,바카라� he noted.

Then came the move to Vidarbha from Karnataka during the last domestic season, and it came at the right time for him.

The right-hander was getting frustrated at not getting enough games in his home state, but all that changed once he moved to Vidarbha.

He made 690 runs from 10 matches with two hundreds, helping his side to reach the Ranji Trophy semifinals.

바카라�First of all, it's the opportunity to play in the Ranji Trophy cricket, which I missed out for a year for reasons that I don't know. So, I am really thankful to Vidarbha for giving me the opportunity to play first-class cricket.

바카라�So, the aim is to improve on last year and go one step further. And, you know, hopefully we can win a couple of trophies,바카라� he said.

The 32-year-old was understandably disappointed at not getting a first-class match for a full season but he found a shard of positivity in that gloom too.

바카라�It's obviously been a difficult time for me. But probably that one season taught me how to value each game바카라�practice harder, and do everything smarter. I think that (non-playing season) has made me stronger and more determined to do well in each and every game,바카라� he said.

바카라�No matter what happens, it's kind of made me, I don't know, brought some kind of fire in yourself. So, just like I said, I'm happy with the way I'm batting. I want to keep continuing this way.바카라�

But the last year has also rekindled Karun바카라�s dream of walking back into the Indian dressing room.

바카라�Yes, of course. Everyone plays this game to go out there and represent your country and that's my only aim now -- to play Test cricket again, which I think, I'm very confident that I can. I know that I'm good enough,바카라� he said.

But for now, Karun would like to cap the good beginning to a new season with a title triumph in the ongoing KSCA Maharaja T20 with the Mysore Warriors.

바카라�We've crossed the first step, which is to qualify for the semis, which is something that we set out to do when we started the tournament,바카라� he signed off.