Who said what - Top 5 expert reactions on Karun Nair's blazing 89 in DC vs MI IPL 2025 match ft. Irfan Pathan
Karun Nair played a scintillating knock on his return to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Playing for the Delhi Capitals (DC) against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday, April 13, he scored a brilliant half-century, though his team lost.
Nair scored 89 runs off just 40 balls as DC chased 206. His knock comprised 12 fours and five sixes at an impressive strike-rate of 222.5. He, unfortunately, got out in the 12th over but displayed his hunger to keep scoring and making the most of his opportunities. DC lost to MI by 12 runs.
Karun Nair has been in solid form, performing and scoring tons of runs across formats and tournaments in domestic cricket recently. The same translated when he made a comeback in the IPL against MI.
He left everyone, from fans to experts, in awe of his batting and comeback story, as he continues to score and maintain his form. That said, here is what some of the experts had to say after his brilliant half-century.
Expert reactions on Karun Nair's blazing 89 in DC vs MI, IPL 2025
#5 Wassim Jaffer
Former India batter Wassim Jaffer praised Karun Nair for the way he attacked MI's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah. He added that watching him bat never made it feel like he was away from the IPL for a long time.
"The way he took on Bumrah. Nobody takes on someone as good as Bumrah but he came on and he was looking like a man possessed. He played all around the park and did not look like the guy was away from IPL for so long. I am really happy to see him bat like that. I said it before as well he should have been given opportunity because of the kind of form he carried. I am very happy even though it came in a losin cause," he said on ESPNcricinfo.
Before this season, Karun last played in the IPL in 2022, where he appeared in only three games for the Rajasthan Royals.
#4 Rohan Gavaskar
Former cricketer Rohan Gavaskar hailed Karun Nair for grabbing the opportunity with both hands. According to Gavaskar, Karun's knock against MI has made it difficult for Delhi to drop him in the games to come.
"He came with a decision that I have to grab the opportunity. When opportunity knocks, invite opportunity for dinner. Karun has done that. He made full use of the opportunity he got today. Now I say how can Delhi Capitals drop him. Now he has to play the whole IPL. He took the one opportunity and has become undropable now," he said on Cricbuzz.
Karun raced to his fifty in just 22 balls. Delhi will now have a 'good headache' as to who will sit out should Faf du Plessis return to the side.
#3 Manoj Tiwary
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary also opined that watching Karun Nair bat did not feel like he was away. He said that the reason for Jasprit Bumrah's figures (1/44) was Karun. Tiwary added that Karun should be a part of India's Test team for the upcoming tour of England.
"Look the way he played. It did not look like he wasn't playing before this. He has performed well in all formats in domestic cricket and he showed his class today. The reason why Jasprit Bumrah was expensive was Karun Nair. He gave Bumrah a reality check as soon as he came in. It felt very good to see. My gut feeling says that he should be taken as a part of the Test team for the England tour. He is in a golden touch and good form," Manoj expressed on Cricbuzz.
India are set to tour England for a five-match Test series, starting in June, almost immediately after the conclusion of the IPL 2025 season.
#2 Virender Sehwag
Virender Sehwag, the star former India opener, expressed his delight at seeing Karun Nair batting the way he did. He spoke about how Nair was dropped from teams but has made a comeback and is batting well.
"He is one of my favorite players. When he was with me in Punjab I thought he has that kind of a player who controls the game. And the player who knows to control the game is a big player. He had a few bad years. He was dropped from the team, dropped from IPL, even his state team Karnataka dropped him. Then he reached Nagpur for Vidarbha has he had an incredible season there. I am happy that he has come back in the IPL and is batting beautifully," Sehwag said on Star Sports (via Aakash Chopra's X handle).
#1 Irfan Pathan
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said Karun Nair's knock against Mumbai was a personal win. Talking on his YouTube channel 'Irfan Pathan,' he expressed how Karun highlighted the importance of domestic cricket and form through his innings and nearly took Delhi over the line. Pathan said:
"The way Karun Nair got the opportunity, it felt like it was a personal win for all cricketers and for me, who advocates for these players, it was a personal win for a player who has performed well in domestic cricket and got a chance and in that chance, he scores good runs. He shows everyone the importance of domestic cricket and current form. Till he was playing it looked like he would score a century and win the game as well."