EXCLUSIVE: ‘Backing to express myself in IPL again…’, says Karun Nair ahead of Delhi Capitals and T20 league ‘homecoming’

In an exclusive interview to India.com, Karun Nair opens up about his return to IPL, new found confidence and form in domestic cricket and much more.

Karun Nair has been one of the most prolific batters in Indian domestic circuit over the last season. The 33-year-old is almost banging down the door of national selectors with sheer weight of his runs. Nair capped off a brilliant season with a unbeaten 132 against Kerala in the Ranji Trophy 2025 final to guide Vidarbha to their third title.

Nair has notched up 863 runs in 9 Ranji Trophy matches this year with 4 hundreds and 2 fifties at an average of 49.59. This is in addition to the 779 runs in 9 matches in Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025 at a phenomenal average of 389.5 which brought him to the brink of selection for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He also score over 200 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament.

“Almost 2000 runs sounds much better! I haven’t made any major changes to my technique, it is all about mental preparation ahead of the season. I know that I have to make every innings count. Just scoring 60s and 70s is not enough, I need to score hundreds. I have been trying to make sure that whenever I get my eyes in, I have to score a big one,” Karun Nair said in an exclusive interview to India.com.

Nair was the leading run-getter for Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season, almost guiding his side to the title but fell short in the final to eventual champions Karnataka. The former Karnataka batter not only was the leading run-scorer in the entire tournament but he did so with a strike-rate of 124.04 in the 50-over competition.

“I have always played my cricket positively but I am playing more confidently now. I am able to execute the aggressive shots that I want to play and that is reflecting in my strike-rate,” Nair revealed.

Karun Nair excited about return to IPL

The Vidarbha star batter has missed out in the last couple of seasons in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Nair last played in the IPL in the 2022 season for the Rajasthan Royals. In IPL 2025, it will be sort of ‘homecoming’ for Karun Nair to the Delhi Capitals.

He played a couple of seasons for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in IPL 2016 and 2017. He also led the Delhi side in IPL 2017 for three matches after an injury to regular skipper Zaheer Khan. Nair was bought by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 50 lakh in the IPL 2025 mega auction last year.

“I am really excited about returning to IPL, having not played in the T20 league over the last couple of years. I’ll be carrying the same thought process that I have been taking into domestic matches. I will back myself to express myself for the Delhi Capitals in IPL again,” Nair said.

The former Karnataka batter didn’t feel that playing at Arun Jaitley stadium is an added advantage. “The Indian players have played at most grounds across the country. So any ground can become your home ground. I don’t think you get major advantage by playing at a certain venue,” he said.

Asked if a quality showing in IPL 2025 in addition to his terrific performances in domestic cricket will push his case for selection for India’s tour of England later this year, Nair said, “I am just look at IPL as another opportunity to express myself. Selection is something that is not in my hands. The next goal for me is the IPL and I am looking forward to joining with the Delhi Capitals team.”

County cricket helped me believe in my game: Karun Nair

The star batter has a couple of fruitful stints with English county side Northamptonshire over the last couple of year. After just three matches in 2023, Nair was signed up for seven County Championship matches in 2024. He scored 487 runs in 7 matches for Northants which included a blazing 202 not out off 253 balls against Glamorgan as well as 150 against Surrey. Nair was dropped after playing six Tests for India, in which he managed to score a memorable triple century against India in Chennai.

“I have had two good stints in County cricket and frankly it helped me believe in my game again. The conditions are vastly different from India and being able to adapt to them has helped in building my confidence,” Nair said about his county stint.

Finally asked about Vidarbha’s contribution to his revival after he was ‘forced’ into leaving Karnataka team, Nair said, “I want to thank VCA (Vidarbha Cricket Association), they have welcome me with open arms. They never made me feel like an outsider and I am really grateful to be part of this champion team.”