Karun Nair, the talented Indian batter, has received a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Vidarbha Cricket Association, officially allowing him to return to his home team Karnataka. After a successful three-year stint with Vidarbha, the right-hander is now set to resume his domestic cricket journey where it all began.

A Successful Run with Vidarbha

Despite a current dip in form on the England tour, Nair has had an impressive domestic record recently:

• 863 runs in 16 Ranji Trophy innings last season, averaging 53.93, with 4 centuries — including one in the final against Kerala that helped Vidarbha clinch the title.

• In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he smashed 779 runs in 8 innings, including five consecutive centuries, at a strike rate over 120.

• He also set a List A record by scoring 542 runs without being dismissed.

This spectacular performance even earned Nair a long-awaited recall to the Indian Test squad after 8 years.

Struggles on the England Tour

However, things haven’t gone according to plan in England. In the current Test series, Nair has registered the following scores: 0, 20, 31, 26, 40, and 14 — failing to notch even a half-century across six innings.

With the final Test in Manchester scheduled for July 23, Nair could still get one last opportunity to make a mark. But if he fails to deliver there too, his place in the playing XI might be in serious jeopardy.

A Homecoming for Nair

The return to Karnataka, his original domestic team, may provide the stability and familiarity Nair needs to regain top form. Karnataka will look forward to his experience and recent domestic heroics as they gear up for the upcoming season.