Karun Nair scores second Ranji Trophy final century against Kerala in career-best season
Nagpur: Vidarbha batsman Karun Nair continued his impressive form in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 final, scoring his second century in a Ranji Trophy final against Kerala at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha, Nagpur, on Saturday.
Batting in the second innings on day four, Nair came in at number four after Kerala dismissed Vidarbha’s openers in the first 14 deliveries. Vidarbha had taken a 37-run lead in the first innings the previous night. Nair built a strong partnership with Danish Malewar, with whom he had shared a crucial 215-run stand in the first innings. His century, scored off 184 balls, prevented Kerala from staging a comeback.
This was Nair’s second century in a Ranji Trophy final, having previously achieved the feat in the 2014-15 season. He also surpassed 8,000 First-Class runs in this match.
For the first time in his Ranji Trophy career, the right-handed batter has scored over 800 runs in a single season. Nair made a strong comeback following a busy Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign last month, where he scored 752 runs, including five centuries in seven innings.
In Vidarbha’s last league match against Hyderabad, Nair hit a century and followed it up with another in the quarterfinal win over Tamil Nadu.
Nair first played a Ranji Trophy final in 2013-14 when Karnataka defeated Maharashtra. The following season, he was named Player of the Match in the final after scoring a record-breaking 328 against Tamil Nadu, the highest individual score in a Ranji Trophy final.
While Nair has scored over 3,700 runs for Karnataka, he also had a brief Test career for India in 2016-17, during which he became the country’s second Test triple-centurion after Virender Sehwag, scoring an unbeaten 303 against England in Chennai.
Karun Nair’s Ranji Trophy final scores:
2013-14: 44, 20*
2014-15: 328 (highest individual score in a final)
2023-24: 0, 74
2024-25: 86, 100* (batting)
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Dragging Gaurav's family, children into 'Pak link' allegation by Assam CM wrong politics: Priyanka
Guwahati (PTI): Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday criticised Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for attacking Gaurav Gogoi over alleged Pakistan links, asserting that dragging his family and children into it is "wrong politics".
After paying homage to Zubeen Garg at his cremation ground 'Zubeen Khetra' at Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati, Vadra said the singer was "above politics" and spread the message of love throughout his life.
"There are two types of leaders in politics -- one who does positive politics and the other who does polarisation. Gaurav Gogoi is doing the politics of love," she said when asked about Sarma's repeated attacks on the Assam Congress chief over alleged Pakistan links.
Vadra asserted that Gogoi is "a positive person, and wants to bring positivity in politics".
"That is why such attacks on him are taking place. People of Assam understand this. But the attacks on Gaurav and his family are the wrong politics. Nobody should attack the family and children (of a political leader)," Vadra said.
Instead of such politics, the Assam CM should "talk about the youth and women of the state, who are looking for jobs", the Wayanad MP said.
"You are seeing how much corruption is taking place. It is just a betrayal of the people of the state," she told reporters.
Talking about her visit to 'Zubeen Khetra' in the morning, Vadra said that she went to the cremation ground to pay her respect to the singer and not do any politics over it.
"Zubeen Garg was above politics. His cremation ground should be a sacred place and should not be used for politics," she added.
VIDEO | Guwahati: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) says, "When we contest elections and talk about leadership in politics, there are two kinds of leaders. One is a positive leader — someone with a positive mindset. Such leaders tell you what they want to do for… pic.twitter.com/52z4HwRitg
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2026
