While his state team (Karnataka) may have had an average season, Karun Nair ended India’s domestic season on a high by playing match-winning knock in the Irani Cup game for the Rest of India. Chasing 480 runs, the batsman helped his team pull off an improbable win on the last day of the match. Taking confidence from his performances in the 2015-16 season, the 24-year old is now looking forward to carrying the same into IPL 2016, where he will be turning up for the Delhi Daredevils. “It is always good to have that confidence behind you. As a batsman you need runs under your belt, and since I have that, I would take that confidence forward,” he said while speaking to IPLT20.com in Delhi. Speaking about his approach to the shortest format of the game, Nair said, “Personally I have no set plans as such. I try to play to the best of my potential in whatever opportunity I get in whichever situation. I just try to read the situation and act accordingly. I try to play my natural game and normal cricketing shots and not too extravagant shots or something like that,” said the stylish player who can accumulate runs at a brisk pace to set or change the tone of an innings. Nair, who played his first full season in 2015 as part of the Rajasthan Royals squad, batted at different positions for the team throughout the season. Discussing the adjustments and mindset of a floater in a batting line-up, he said, “Sometimes it’s hard, but it’s up to the individual how he thinks in those kind of situations. If you think it’s too tough then I don’t think you will be able to come out on top of it, but if you take it up as a challenge, then you can try to improve yourself by going in to bat at whatever position you get.” As he gears up for the premier domestic competition as part of the DD squad, the youngster has a few of his former RR team-mates and coaching staff alongside him. While his role in the line-up will evolve as the team commence their campaign, Nair is prepared for the new edition. “I have had a lot of time to prepare because this season (2015-16 domestic season), our season was over too early. I have been preparing really well. I have been working on my fitness a lot and now it is time for results,” said the batsman.

While Nair has gone about his preparations, the Daredevils held preparatory camps in Raipur and Delhi as well. “It was up to the individual’s needs and whatever each one needed to work on. It was all up to individuals and how to bring the best out of a particular individual,” he elaborated while speaking about the camps.

Asked about the intense practice sessions that the Daredevils have gone about under the watchful eyes of mentor, Rahul Dravid and Co, Nair said, “Rahul Dravid being the intense person that he is, made sure that all of us got intense practice sessions before we got here (to Delhi) so that we are actually very well prepared. Hopefully the preparations that we have done will bear results now as the tournament progresses.” Speaking about the former India captain’s influence, Nair said, “I got to know him better when I was with the Rajasthan Royals. He has been a great help and obviously an inspiration to all youngsters in India and over the world. It is a great privilege and honour to have him around in our dressing room. There are so many things to learn from him. Even though he is not playing, the way he carries himself and the discipline and the work ethic that he carries; he puts in the hard work that is there to see. He is an inspiration to all the youngsters.”

Having familiar people and team-mates around is also helping the transition in to the new team for the batsman. “Personally for me I think it is helping quite a bit because I know quite a few of the people here, including the support staff so that’s going to help in settling down. It’s a challenge to get in into a new team and get to know the other players. We have been working on that we have been playing together as a team and getting to know each other off the field as well.” In the Daredevils, Nair will be playing under the captaincy of former India fast-bowler Zaheer Khan. Speaking with admiration about his skipper, the youngster said, “He is an inspiration. I was part of Royal Challengers Bangalore when he was there, and that time, I wasn’t playing so it was huge step for me to be in the same dressing room, and now having the opportunity to play under him great. We can all learn so much from him. The advice that he has (is very insightful). He obviously knows how batsmen think and you can actually go and speak to him about how a batsman thinks. I think there is a lot to learn for me from this season, so I will be trying to ask questions to a lot of people.” As he embarks on another season of the IPL, Nair said, “The most exciting part for me as a youngster who hasn’t played international cricket yet, is to be part of a set-up which is almost similar to international cricket and to play in midst of a huge crowd is a great learning experience. If you manage to do well in the IPL, it gives you a lot of confidence to go ahead. It gives you the confidence that you can sustain yourself at this level and you work hard and get better. If the youngster play to their potential, then you can see lot of youngsters going ahead.”