Karun Nair and Jitesh Sharma have made the significant decision to leave Vidarbha's domestic cricket team. Nair will play for Karnataka, and Sharma will join Baroda. Both players had impressive careers with Vidarbha.
Cricket: Two prominent figures in Indian domestic cricket have unexpectedly decided to embark on a new chapter in their careers. Veteran batsman Karun Nair and explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma will be parting ways with their former team, Vidarbha, to join new teams. These changes are not just individual player decisions; they could also significantly impact the balance of domestic cricket.
Reasons Behind the Team Change
According to Cricbuzz reports, both Karun Nair and Jitesh Sharma will be playing for different state teams starting in the 2025-26 domestic season. Karun Nair is returning to Karnataka, while Jitesh Sharma will represent Baroda.
Karun Nair previously played for Karnataka but joined Vidarbha before the 2023-24 season. Now, he is set to return to Karnataka. Sources suggest this decision is based on personal and family reasons. On the other hand, Jitesh Sharma aims to start a new journey with Baroda, where he could have the opportunity to take on a senior player role.
Strong Performance in Vidarbha
Karun Nair and Jitesh Sharma were integral to Vidarbha's success. The 2024-25 season was excellent for Vidarbha. The team won the Ranji Trophy, finished as runners-up in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and reached the quarterfinals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Karun Nair was a key contributor to this success. He scored 863 runs in 9 Ranji Trophy matches, including four impressive centuries. He also scored 779 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, solidifying the middle order.
Jitesh Sharma strengthened Vidarbha with both his batting and captaincy. He captained the team in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and played crucial innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Karun Nair's Return to the Indian Team
Karun Nair's form wasn't limited to the domestic level. His performances for Vidarbha brought him back into the spotlight, and he earned a recall to the Indian Test team after eight years. He has been included in the Test squad for the England tour. He has played 6 Test matches for India, scoring 374 runs. Notably, this includes a triple century, achieved against England in Chennai in 2016.
His return will benefit the Indian team with his experience and provide stability in the number 3 or middle order.
Jitesh Sharma: A New Beginning for the Aggressive Batsman
Jitesh Sharma has emerged as a highly impactful batsman and wicketkeeper over the past few seasons. He captained Vidarbha in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and played several valuable innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Playing for RCB in IPL 2025, he played a crucial role in helping the team win the title for the first time. He has scored 1533 runs and two centuries in 56 List-A matches. In first-class cricket, he has accumulated 661 runs.
He is now joining Baroda, where he is expected to be a senior player. This team has been looking for an experienced wicketkeeper-batsman for some time, and Jitesh fits the bill.
Impact on Domestic Cricket
The transfer of these two players could significantly alter the dynamics of domestic cricket. A b team like Karnataka will once again benefit from Karun Nair's experience, while Baroda will gain an aggressive batsman and experienced wicketkeeper in Jitesh Sharma.
This could be a loss for Vidarbha, as both players won several matches for the team last season. Vidarbha will now need to find new options and rebuild their balanced team.
