Karun Nair Biography and Career

Karun Kaladharan Nair, born on December 6, 1991, is an Indian cricketer who has represented the national team and made a mark in both domestic and franchise cricket. A technically sound right-handed top-order batter and an occasional off-break bowler, Nair currently plays for Vidarbha in domestic cricket and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He is best known for becoming only the second Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket.
Nair began his first-class career with Karnataka in the 2013–14 season, which turned out to be a breakthrough year. He played a key role in Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy triumph by scoring three consecutive centuries – in the final league game and the first two knockout matches. His most significant achievement in that season came when he scored a triple century in the final, becoming the first batter to do so in a Ranji final since 1946–47 and only the second Karnataka player to register a triple ton.
His domestic performances soon led to national recognition. In June 2016, Nair made his One Day International (ODI) debut for India against Zimbabwe in Harare. Later that year, he earned his Test cap against England at Mohali. In just his third Test innings, he stunned the cricketing world by scoring an unbeaten 303 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. With that knock, he became the quickest player to score a maiden triple century in Test history in terms of matches played. He also joined an elite list of only three players in the history of the game to convert a maiden Test hundred into a triple century.
Despite the historic feat, Nair's international career did not progress as expected. He was dropped from the playing XI in the very next Test to accommodate Ajinkya Rahane and struggled to regain his place in the team thereafter. However, he remained active in the domestic circuit, turning out for India A and playing in tournaments like the Deodhar Trophy and Duleep Trophy. He was named among the eight players to watch during the 2018–19 Ranji season and continued to be a consistent performer at the domestic level.
In January 2025, Nair once again made headlines during the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored 542 runs without being dismissed, setting a new world record for the most runs scored between dismissals in List A cricket. This incredible run included three consecutive centuries, reaffirming his status as a reliable and high-quality batter in the limited-overs format.
Nair has also had a long and eventful IPL career, having played for several franchises over the years. He started with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2012 and 2013, but it was with Rajasthan Royals in 2014 that he had his breakthrough, scoring 330 runs at a strike rate of 142.24. He later featured for Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab in 2018, Kolkata Knight Riders in 2021, returned to Rajasthan Royals in 2022, and made his IPL comeback with Delhi Capitals in the 2025 season.

Karun Nair Early Life

Karun Nair was born on December 6, 1991, in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, to Kaladharan and Prema Nair, who hail from Chengannur in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. His father, a mechanical engineer, was working in Jodhpur at the time of Karun’s birth and later relocated the family to Koramangala, Bangalore. There, he contributed to projects including the sprinkler system at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Karun’s mother, Prema, is a teacher at Chinmaya Vidyalaya in Bangalore, and he has an elder sister named Shruthi Nair.
Born prematurely with weak lungs, doctors advised Karun's parents to encourage him to take up sports to improve his health. Following this guidance, he joined the Koramangala Cricket Academy on March 28, 2001, and began training under coach Shivanand. He initially studied at Chinmaya Vidyalaya, where his mother taught, and later moved to the Frank Anthony Public School to pursue better cricketing opportunities. He went on to study BCom (Hons) at Jain University in Bangalore. Karun is multilingual, fluent in English, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, and Tamil, with Malayalam as his mother tongue.

Beyond Cricket

On June 29, 2019, Karun Nair took to social media to announce his engagement to his longtime partner, Sanaya Tankariwala, a media professional. The couple tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony held in Udaipur, Rajasthan, on January 19, 2020. They welcomed their son, Kayaan Nair, in January 2022.

Karun Nair Records

4th Most runs in an innings (by batting position)

3rd Highest maiden hundred

6th Youngest player to score a triple hundred

Karun Nair Awards and Achievements
Karun Nair Triple Century:
Nair scored a 303 not out in his third Test match against England in Chennai, becoming only the second Indian after Virender Sehwag to achieve this feat.

Karun Nair Ranji Trophy:
Madhavrao Scindia Award for the highest run-scorer in the 2014-15 Ranji Trophy.