Young Karun Nair on Monday announced his arrival at the world stage with an unforgettable triple ton (303 not out) as India broke a deluge of records en route their highest ever Test total of 759 for 7 against England on the penultimate day of the fifth and final match here.
The pressure of approaching a triple hundred pales when one has survived a near death experience, said a calm and composed Karun Nair. He notched up the milestone in only his third Test and first series.
Nair’s unbeaten 303 against England in the ongoing fifth and final cricket Test put him in the same bracket as Garry Sobers and Bob Simpson on account of converting a debut century into a triple ton.
Reflecting on the knock, which has given India a chance to push for victory, he put things in perspective by recalling a boat accident in Kerala, which he survived earlier this year despite not knowing how to swim. “I didn’t know how to swim. People there rescued me and I was lucky to live again (about the boat accident in his home in Kerala),” Nair told official broadcasters.
“Everyone is being very nice to me. They have congratulated me. I think it will take a couple of days for myself to sink in. The dressing room atmosphere has always been really good and they have always backed me in whatever I have done,” Nair said.
The 25-year-old said that there were nerves during each of the milestones on 99, 199 and 299. “Obviously, there are some nerves. You can’t be thinking negative at that point. You just have to watch the ball and just get over that moment. You just have to feel that moment, being there.”
Crossing the century mark certainly took away a lot of pressure off him, he feels.
“I think it’s just playing normally. I think after 100 the pressure is off. You just go out there and play the shots that you can and you just look to hit the gaps. Once you cross 150, it is just playing freely like how you always do and just expressing yourself,” he added.
Meanwhile, from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the legendary Kapil Dev and Virender Sehwag, the country lavished fulsome praise on youngster Karun Nair.
“Congratulations on the historic triple century @karun126! We all are delighted & proud of your remarkable feat,” Modi wrote on his twitter handle.
“Congratulation Karun for this amazing feat. Your batting was like poetry. I hope you get another one very soon,” Sehwag, who is the only other Indian to have scored a triple ton, said. He also wrote on his twitter handle: “Yay ! Welcome to the 300 club @karun126 . It was very lonely here for the last 12 years 8 months. Wish you the very best Karun.Maza aa gaya!”