BENGALURU: When they were kids, Karun Nair’s sister had to sacrifice her love for cartoon shows because of the cricketer’s incredible passion for the game. And on Monday, when she asked her dear brother to score a century, he obliged with a triple century.
In conversation with Express, Karun Nair’s sister Sruthi Nair, who lives in Canada,shares the moment they spent together as sibling and how his love towards the gentleman’s game would trigger fight between them.
“Before the start of the match, he spoke to me and told that he will give his best this time. I had asked him to score a century. I am happy that he did not disappoint me and his fans,” says Sruthi.
“He would always eat,sleep and breathe cricket. Since his childhood, he was extremely passionate about the game. We would often get into argument over catching hold of the television remote control. He always wanted to watch cricket and that irritated me as a kid.It is because of him, I could never watch my favourite cartoon shows. Though, I would often lose the fight for remote control back then, I am now a proud sister,” Sruthi added.
She was awake the whole night when her brother smashed a number of records and gave a once-in-a-life time batting performance very early in his career.
“I did not see the match but I was praying for his century the whole night.I was very nervous as he had failed to perform well in previous two innings. It was necessary for him to perform well in this match to cement his place in the test squad. Now, I am watching the highlights peacefully,” she says.
She adds: “What irritated me most during our childhood was that Karun used to watch highlights of old matches all the time. Whenever I argued with him saying why was he watching an old match, he would say that he was learning from the shots and techniques of some great batsmen. His seriousness soared when he turned 10. Whenever he was not studying, he was either playing or watching cricket.”
Describing Karun’s nature, she said, “He is a very humble person. He does not get into frenzied celebrations if I am around. I do all the dance whenever he performs well. I wish I was in India now.”
He got ‘second innings’ in life 5 months ago
Kochi: If it were his steely will that made Karun Nair the first Indian to convert his maiden Test match hundred into a triple century on Monday, it was a huge slice of luck that gave him a second innings in life nearly five months ago. The incident, which could have turned fatal, occurred on July 17 when a snake boat carrying Karun capsized in the Pampa. The cricketer was partaking of the Vallasadya at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple at Aranmula. It was an offering by his mother Prema Nair, who hails from Keezcherimel in Chengannur. Karun was accompanied by his father Kaladharan Nair as his mother was in the ICU following dengue fever. Karun, along with his relatives, boarded the Keezcherimel Palliyodam from MLA Kadav. While the boat skipper tried turning the vessel near the steps of the temple, it overturned due in the strong currents. Karun, who was thrown into the water, tried to swim to safety. “However, someone advised him not to do so since it was not safe to swim. Instead he was asked to latch onto the boat. Though he was saved by locals, Rajeev Kumar, his close relative, and a friend Vaisakh lost their lives,” said Rajeev Chandran, a relative.