Former Karnataka skipper Karun Nair set to sign with Vidarbha for upcoming domestic season

Former Karnataka skipper Karun Nair is all set to sign with Vidarbha for the upcoming domestic season in India. While it is uncommon for cricketers to look for other states for exposure, Karnataka will lose four of their stars in this domestic season. Shreyas Gopal, KV Siddharth, and Rohan Kadam are also on their way out. While batters KV Siddharth and Roham Kadam are heading out to Goa, Shreyas Gopal will take the pitch for Kerala.

Notably, Karun Nair is the only batter other than Virender Sehwag to score triple hundred in first-class games. He was recently in the news for replacing the injured KL Rahul in Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. KL Rahul was injured in the home game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He was then ruled out for the remained of the IPL with Krunal Pandya taking on the captaincy duties.

Shreyas Gopal and KV Siddharth open up on leaving Karnataka

“I’ve represented Karnataka for over two decades, so it is a bittersweet moment for me. I’ve played for the state in all age groups. I have a few good years of cricket left in me and thought the time was right to move on,” stated Shreyas Gopal. “I took great pride in what I did for the state. Picking one moment is tough, the two seasons when we claimed the treble will always be special. Also, the hat-trick in the Irani Cup is unforgettable,” he added opening up on his best moments with Karnataka.

“It hasn’t hit me yet,” was Siddharth’s first reaction. “I wasn’t planning to move, but I felt confident of stepping out of my comfort zone after a couple of state associations approached me. I spoke to KSCA officials before taking a call. In Goa, I hope to feature in all three formats,” explained Siddharth. Unfortunately, Karun Nair was not available for comment. His best moment with Karnataka was the triple hundred in the 2014-15 season in the Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu. He replicated a similar form in the 2016 Chennai Test against England.