Delhi unveil Karun Nair as 'Rocky Bhai' of KGF; counts on him to replicate his domestic form in IPL

Karun Nair reunited with the Delhi Capitals in this season of the Indian Premier League, and the franchisee couldn't think of a better way to promote his arrival than to feature him as the superstar character from the popular film KGF. Delhi's promotional video of Karun has ignited a frenzy across social media, with the tournament set to begin on March 22. 

In the 44-second video, Nair is portrayed as Rocky Bhai, the iconic character played by Yash in KGF. In the film, Rocky Bhai fights his odds alone and achieves his dreams. Karun's career resembles Rocky's in the film, fighting his way to the top.

Karun was impressive for Vidarbha in the recently concluded domestic season that ended with the Ranji Trophy title. Karun, who made his ODI debut in 2016, also got selected for the Test squad the same year. He famously scored a triple hundred in his third Test, but then he vanished from the national scene.

The Bengaluru-Malayali had a fabulous domestic season, scoring nine centuries across all formats, including four in the Ranji Trophy. The 33-year-old made 86 in the first innings of the Ranji final and added a brilliant 135 in the second innings as Vidarbha edged Kerala for their third title.

Karun's incredible first-class campaign was bettered only by the great Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman. In the 1994-95 season, Tendulkar scored ten first-class centuries, while Laxman, another Indian cricket icon, hit nine tons in 1999-00.

Delhi Capitals secured his services ahead of IPL 2025, spending ₹50 lakh in the auction. Karun's IPL records are not so sweet, with 1,496 runs scored in 76 games. His best season was in 2016 with the Delhi team, when he scored a total of 357 runs in 14 games. In 2014, he scored 330 runs for the Rajasthan Royals. His last IPL season was with the Royals in 2022, where he appeared in only 3 matches.

If Karun can continue his strong domestic form in the IPL, it will be a jackpot for Delhi, who secured his services for a bargain. It could also ease him back into the national team, as selectors consider players' performance in the IPL.

Meanwhile, calls to include Karun in the national team are also intensifying from different corners. The latest to call for Karun's recall is Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who is an ardent cricket fan. Tagging Ajit Agarkar, chairman of BCCI's selection committee, and Gautam Gambhir, the Indian men's team head coach, in a post on X, he said, "It has to be a no-brainer for the selectors to recall him for the tour of England after his mind-boggling run of scores this season."