Karun Nair’s inspiring comeback in the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) has hit a rough patch, with former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra expressing concern over the Delhi Capitals (DC) batter’s inability to capitalize on his second chance.
Following DC’s 14-run defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday, Chopra delivered an assessment of Nair’s recent struggles, questioning his consistency in IPL 2025.
Karun Nair’s IPL journey this season has been a tale of highs and lows. His return to the league after a three-year absence was marked by a scintillating 89 runs off 40 balls against Mumbai Indians (MI), a knock that saw him taking on Jasprit Bumrah and earned him widespread praise.
Nair had tweeted in 2022,
"Dear cricket, give me one more chance."
The performance was seen as a redemption for Nair, who had faced setbacks, including being dropped by Karnataka and nearly quitting cricket before a prolific domestic season with Vidarbha, where he scored nine centuries across formats.
However, Nair’s form has since faltered. In his last five innings, he has managed just 65 runs. He scored 15 runs off 13 deliveries versus KKR. Chopra pointed this out, stating that Nair is not making the most of the opportunities he is getting.
"The start wasn't good. You (KKR) played Anukul Roy for Faf du Plessis. He didn't trap Faf but dismissed Abishek Porel. Vaibhav Arora got Karun Nair out, and I ask a question. Cricket has given you a second chance, but you are not making the most of it," Chopra said as quoted.
"You have played one good knock and affected one or two good run-outs, and shown a few glimpses that you can actually go on, but big knocks are not coming, and you are batting at the top of the order. You are getting a chance to bat at No. 3. Then Rahul's run-out. I think that was the game-changing moment. When Faf and Stubbs got out, I thought this game was over," he added.
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Karun Nair Crucial to DC’s Playoff Hopes
As DC regroups for their remaining matches, Nair faces a critical juncture. His occasional batting heroics show his potential, but consistency remains elusive. With the IPL spotlight unforgiving, Nair must seize his remaining opportunities to prove he can be as consistent as he is in domestic cricket.
As of now, the Capitals are in the fourth position on the IPL 2025 points table. They will lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 5 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
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