It’s been one hell of a week for this Bengaluru lad. A brilliant triple century, followed by a plethora of interviews and a volley of praises from across the world, Karun Nair has the limelight shining strongly on him.
After a not so great Ranji game against TN, Karun takes some time out to chat with us. Having converted his maiden Test century into a triple ton, how does it feel? “It feels amazing, but it feels better when the team does well. I’ve been busy with the Ranji matches, but now I have some free days coming up, so I’ll have the time to relax, think over it and let it sink in,” he says.
Does he feel extra pressure now that he’s performed so well? “I don’t think so. The pressure is always there when you play for the country. I just go into the game thinking it’s another opportunity to do well.”
Now that he’s part of the exclusive group of triple ton makers, Karun says it’s an honour to be linked with great players like Virender Sehwag.”I’m just enjoying the moment,” he adds. For this lad from Kerala, his remarkable feat was even more special because he had his parents by his side as they watched him live at Chepauk. “My dad has watched all my games and he was very happy to watch me. As for my mom, she was over the moon because this was the first time she watched me live and I managed to do so well.”
As he takes us down memory lane, the batsman reveals that he started playing cricket at the age of 10. “I went to the Koramangala Cricket Academy where B Shivananda was my coach. I started playing for the state in the under-13 team and then I played through all the age groups,”he says.
As a zealous youngster, he looked upto Rahul Dravid when growing up. “One reason was that he’s from Karnataka and another is I loved how he did so well under pressure. He was always the man to go to - that kind of inspired me,” he says.
For this alumnus of Frank Anthony Public School, the path towards his achievement has been far from smooth. Karun had a near-death experience in July, when the boat he was in, capsized in the river Pampa in Kerala. Karun, who managed to get out alive, says, “It took quite a lot of time for me to stop thinking about it. This experience made me stronger and I realized that by God’s grace, I have been given another life. So I decided to make the best of whatever I have.”
When he talks about his captain Virat Kohli, Karun’s words reflect the admiration he has for him. “I like how he leads by example and the way he conducts himself. He works hard at his game and fitness, which motivates the team to follow him. He’s also very positive while batting and on the field and it’s amazing how he backs each and every player,” he shares.
When he’s not making applause-worthy shots with the bat, Karun likes to catch up on movies, watch TV shows or listen to music. “I watch a lot of shows on Netflix. I finished watching Narcos and Breaking Bad. My current favourite is Designated Survivor,” he says.
