Vijay Hazare Trophy: Karun Nair strengthens his case as Vidarbha dominates Maharashtra to reach the final
On a day when Vidarbha openers Yash Rathod and Dhruv Shorey crafted brilliant centuries, it was skipper Karun Nair who stole the spotlight once again. Vidarbha outclassed Maharashtra by 69 runs to book their place in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final. Nair fell just 12 runs short of a fifth consecutive List A century, but his explosive unbeaten 88 off 44 balls would have surely caught the attention of the national selectors ahead of Sunday’s Champions Trophy squad announcement.
With ongoing debates about domestic performances being overlooked, it remains to be seen if Nair finds a place in India’s 15-member squad. A strong showing in the final against his former team Karnataka could further boost his chances.
Nair’s performance in this tournament has been about more than just runs. In eight matches, he has been dismissed only once, scoring fifty or more in six of his seven innings. His lowest score remains an unbeaten 44 against Chhattisgarh in the opener. Despite his incredible form, breaking into India’s ODI squad—already packed with the likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer—remains a challenge. Even T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has struggled to find a spot in the XI. However, Nair’s staggering tournament average of 752 makes him impossible to ignore, raising questions about whether domestic performances are truly rewarded.
Nair’s Commanding Knock
Rathod and Shorey’s 224-run opening partnership initially seemed to make Nair’s role redundant. When he walked in during the 35th over, a century appeared unlikely. However, his blistering 88 demonstrated his exceptional form and intent. When batsmen find themselves in such rhythm, their game appears effortless, and Nair epitomized that once again.
Unlike his previous innings, he faced no scoreboard pressure, allowing him to express himself freely. With Jitesh Sharma handling the big hits, Nair settled in before unleashing an array of strokes, smashing 9 boundaries and 5 sixes. His masterclass overshadowed the well-compiled centuries by Rathod and Shorey.
Rathod, a left-hander with shades of Shikhar Dhawan’s stroke play, began aggressively, while Shorey gradually caught up. Though Maharashtra’s fielding was below par, Vidarbha’s batting display remained clinical.
Maharashtra’s Struggles
Chasing a daunting 381, Maharashtra needed Ruturaj Gaikwad to fire, but his poor run continued as he fell for just 7, caught brilliantly by Jitesh Sharma. Their chase never gained momentum, with opener Arshin Kulkarni’s 90 (101 balls) and supporting knocks from Ankit Bawne (50) and Nikhil Naik (49) merely reducing the margin of defeat.
Brief Scores:
Vidarbha 380 in 50 overs (Yash Rathod 116, Dhruv Shorey 114, Karun Nair 88*, Jitesh Sharma 51)
Maharashtra 311/7 in 50 overs (Arshin Kulkarni 90, Ankit Bawne 50, Nikhil Naik 49; Darshan Nalkande 3/64, Nachiket Bhute 3/68)
Result: Vidarbha won by 69 runs.
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