Northamptonshire has secured the return of Indian batsman Karun Nair. Nair, who went unsold in the IPL auction, will wear the Northants jersey for seven County Championship matches in April and May, building on his excellent tenure with the club in the final three matches of the previous season.
Nair had a major impact during his brief time with Northants last year, scoring 78, 150, and 21 in three innings.
Northants’ head coach, John Sadler, expressed his satisfaction with Nair’s signing, claiming that the Indian batsman was their “main target” for the 2024 season. Sadler complimented Nair not only for his exceptional run-scoring abilities, but also for his poise, temperament, and desire to run.
“Not only did he score some incredible runs for us, his calmness, his temperament, and his hunger for more runs was superb. We are delighted to get him on board with us again, and I’m sure he will be a super asset for us again this season,” Sadler remarked in a press release.
Nair’s availability for the early portions of the County Championship season was questionable due to potential IPL obligations. However, after failing to sell at the Dubai mini-auction, Nair has committed to playing for Northants in the first seven games of the season.
Nair expressed his enthusiasm at returning to Northamptonshire, emphasising the team’s goal of winning games and gaining promotion. He praised the coach and captain for believing in him and giving him the opportunity to contribute with the bat. Nair, who played six Tests and two ODIs for India, including an incredible unbeaten triple century against England in Chennai in 2016, is still a key asset to Northants.
“I’m thrilled to be returning to Northamptonshire for another stint of County Championship cricket.” Nair said. “Our aim is to win games and get promoted and I’m excited to get stuck in with the bat and help the team secure victories.
“I would like to thank the coach and captain for believing in me and giving me this wonderful opportunity. I was really happy with my form last season, and hopefully I can get going right away and put big runs on the board,” he added.
The 32-year-old Indian batsman will be replaced by his compatriot Prithvi Shaw later this summer in England. Shaw, who had a successful run with Northants last year, is due to come in June after playing for Delhi Capitals in the IPL.
Chris Tremain, an Australian seamer, will join Nair as Northants’ second overseas player during the first month of the season. Furthermore, the club just confirmed the signing of Sikandar Raza for the T20 Blast, which will boost their team for the 2018 county season.
