Bengaluru: Karun Nair’s century for KSCA Secretary’s XI highlights Duleep Trophy final exclusion debate
Nair’s Century in Bengaluru
Karun Nair, a seasoned batter, scored a century for KSCA Secretary’s XI in the ongoing Dr (Capt) K Thimmappaiah Memorial Tournament in Bengaluru. His innings of 104 runs came off 183 balls, including 12 fours and 1 six, against Chhattisgarh at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. This performance on Monday helped Secretary’s XI reach 277 for 7 in 90 overs by the end of Day 1 of the match.
Nair’s century occurred amidst the Duleep Trophy final, where he was notably absent from the South Zone squad. His participation in the Bengaluru tournament has drawn attention, particularly as the South Zone team faced challenges in the final.
Duleep Trophy Exclusion Controversy
Nair’s exclusion from the South Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy final has sparked debate. Despite his recent form, including scoring 699 runs in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season for Karnataka, he was not selected for the final against East Zone. This decision followed his absence from the semifinal as well, which was played last week at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
South Zone coach Vikram Verma addressed Nair’s exclusion, citing team combination as a key factor. Verma explained that the team opted for a left-hand batter in the middle order to counter the two left-hand spinners in opposing teams. He mentioned that with Devdutt Padikkal‘s return, the team combination became a significant consideration, making it difficult to include Nair.
Verma also attributed Nair’s absence to “personal reasons,” stating that Nair had requested permission to travel home due to family matters. However, Nair’s subsequent participation in the tournament in his home city of Bengaluru has led to questions regarding the stated reasons for his non-selection in the domestic season opener.
The South Zone team conceded over 700 runs in the Duleep Trophy final against East Zone, with Ishan Kishan scoring 270 runs for East Zone. This performance by East Zone, reaching a total of 708 runs on a placid pitch, has further intensified discussions about South Zone‘s selection choices, particularly concerning the omission of a player like Nair, who is known for his strong performance against spin bowlers.
Verma, despite the large total conceded, maintained that South Zone remained in contention. He outlined the team’s strategy to play session by session and build partnerships, aiming to bat for five sessions to chase down East Zone‘s total of 708.
Other Notable Performances in the Tournament
The Dr (Capt) K Thimmappaiah Memorial Tournament also saw other significant performances across various matches. At Kini Sports Arena, Gujarat scored 379 runs against KSCA President’s XI, with Urvil Patel contributing 80 runs off 68 balls and Vishal Jayswal scoring 150 runs off 133 balls. Karnataka left-arm spinner Shikhar Shetty took 6 wickets for 92 runs.
At IAF, Vidarbha reached 310 for 4, with Yash Rathod scoring 111 runs off 139 balls and Danish Malewar adding 87 not out off 168 balls. In other matches, Shivang Kumar scored 131 not out for Madhya Pradesh against Baroda at Alur (1), and Divyaansh Saksena made 114 runs for Mumbai against Maharashtra at Alur (3). Musheer Khan also contributed 68 runs for Mumbai. At SDRNW, Mysore, Samit Dravid scored 68 runs for KSCA Combined XI against Himachal Pradesh, while Aditya Singh scored 107 not out for Jharkhand against Andhra at SJCE, Mysore.
These performances highlight the competitive nature of the tournament, with several batters and bowlers making significant contributions on the opening day.
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Source: rediff.com
Priya Patel writes on politics and current affairs for Latest News, reporting on Parliament, policy and the decisions that affect readers across India.
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