Karun Nair (Image: PTI)

Vidarbha star Karun Nair has revealed that he had offered himself to play for Kerala in state cricket after deciding to leave his home side, Karnataka, but the discussions didn’t materialize. The international batter said he wasn’t in a position to wait and as Vidarbha came in with an offer, he chose to proceed with it.

Nair was born in Rajasthan but his parents Kaladharan Nair and Prema Nair hail from Kerala. The family moved to Bengaluru for Kaladharan’s job and has stayed there since. Nair started his career as a Karnataka cricketer and spent almost a decade with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). In August 2023, after being dropped from the state team across formats, he chose to move and found a new home in Vidarbha.

“There were discussions about it. When I was sure I was going to leave Karnataka, I was look at my options," Nair said in an interview with Malayalam Channel 24 on Friday. “There was some talk about it, but it didn’t go forward. I had offered myself to KCA, but it didn’t go forward. At the same time, I got the offer from Vidarbha. I wasn’t in a situation to wait, as I wasn’t in the best spot. I wanted to clear my mind and that was only possible by joining a team. So I joined Vidarbha," he added.

Kerala and Vidarbha are playing the ongoing 2025 Ranji Trophy final at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur. Nair scored 86 (188) in the first innings and missed out on a century due to a run-out.