Lot more scouts watching now and level of cricket much improved, claims Nair ahead of Mysore return

Karun Nair's groundbreaking 2024/25 domestic season for Vidarbha culminated in a call up to the Indian Test squad after an eight-year hiatus, where he ended up scoring 205 runs in eight innings including a crucial half-century in the match-winning series leveller at The Oval. However, the veteran is now ready to return to his roots as he prepares for a comeback to the Karnataka domestic set-up with another appearance in the Maharaja Trophy, the state's domestic T20 franchise tournament.

Nair's dominant run last season extended to his stint with the Mysore Warriors, as he led the team to the title by scoring the most runs in a single edition of the tournament with 560, capped off with a 45-ball 66 in the final against Bengaluru Blasters. The veteran broke his own record, having racked up 532 runs the previous season, but is set to miss the first half of the latest edition through a niggle as he awaits BCCI medical team's clearance. Speaking to Sportscafe from the sidelines of his team's training session, the 33-year-old called last year's triumph as his favourite cricket memory in the city.

"‌My favourite cricket memory in Mysore is winning the championship last year. Seeing the happiness on Arjun [Ranga, tam owner] sir’s face and the whole Mysore Warriors family, the Ranga family, was something for us as players to give back to them because they gave us so much to help us prepare for this tournament," Nair said.

Nair was a part of the first six editions of the Karnataka Premier League, missing only the final two seasons, and has been a central figure in all three seasons for Mysore Warriors since the tournament was rechristened the Maharaja Trophy in 2022. Asked what motivates him to keep coming back to the tournament, the Indian international heaped praise on the tournament. 

"The Maharaja Trophy is India’s most premier franchise domestic tournament. I’d like to thank KSCA for organizing it so well every single season. To be part of the Maharaja Warriors family is an honour and a privilege for me and I am once again excited to play for this team. There’s no better feeling than to be a part of Mysore Warriors," Nair boasted.

Fancode has so far streamed all four seasons of the Maharaja Trophy, which has paved the path to Indian Premier League contracts for the likes of Manoj Bhandage, Luvnith Sisodia, and Abhinav Manohar while several othees such as LR Chethan and Lavish Kaushal remain stationed on the fringe. Nair claimed that the tournament has established itself as the most relevant across the country, with Karnataka the first to take the initiative in 2009/10 which has seen the likes of Delhi Premier League, Andhra Premier LEague, Kerala Cricket League, and UPT20 crop up as a result.

"Obviously the level of cricket has improved, the way the importance of this tournament has increased over the years. There’s a lot more scouts watching now and there’s a lot more opportunities for young players to showcase their skills at this level and it is a step in the right direction for any young player coming out of Karnataka," Nair stated.

"I’d not like to name any [youngster in particular]. We have a lot of youngsters in Karnataka and every year there is someone new who puts their hand up, that makes me happy," the Mysore Warriors skipper concluded. 

The Warriors are currently placed top of the table after seven games under the stand-in captaincy of Manish Pandey, with three wins, two losses and as many no results to their name.