I was determined to make it count in the second innings: Karun

Karun Nair scores ninth hundred of the season, impressing selectors with his performance in Ranji Trophy final.

‘Nine’, said Karun Nair through his hands.

No prize for guessing what he meant. That was his ninth hundred of the season across formats. So after taking the single to complete his century for Vidarabha in the Ranji Trophy final, he took off his helmet, looked towards his dressing room, and made that signal.

“I had been talking to one of our throwers and said that I would show him ‘nine’ if I scored a hundred in this match,” Karun explained shortly after remaining unbeaten on 132 at the end of the fourth day.

When asked if it was only meant for the dressing room, as the national selectors were also present at the stadium, he said with a mischievous smile, “But you can take it however you like.”

Karun certainly must have made the selectors take note. The man who scored a triple hundred in only his third Test is making his bat talk loudly.

He now has 860 runs, with four hundreds, in the Ranji Trophy this season, to add to the 779 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with five hundreds.

He is hoping to add to the Ranji Trophy tally. “It has been an important knock for me as we were seven for two when I went in,” he said. “It was important for me to stay there and hold one end. I wanted to play the whole day. We want to come back for the final day and bat as long as we can.”