Karun Nair, Jitesh Sharma set to leave Vidarbha

Vidarbha, a top-performing state team in the recent domestic season, is facing the potential loss of two key players: Karun Nair and Jitesh Sharma. Both batsmen have been instrumental for the Central Zone side across red-ball and white-ball formats. Their departure would be a significant blow, especially considering Vidarbha's impressive run as champions in the Ranji Trophy, runners-up in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and quarterfinalists in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) during the 2024-25 season.

Karun Nair played a key role for Vidarbha in the 2024/25 domestic season © BCCI

Sources indicate that Jitesh Sharma (31) is set to join Baroda, while Karun Nair (33) is planning a return to his home state of Karnataka. Their batting prowess was a cornerstone of Vidarbha's success last season, with Nair particularly shining. He is currently in England with the Indian team and may be on the verge of a national comeback after eight years.

Nair's performance in the Ranji Trophy was outstanding, amassing 863 runs, the fourth-highest in the tournament. He also dominated the Vijay Hazare one-day competition with 779 runs. After leaving Karnataka ahead of the 2023-24 season, Nair is now expected to return due to personal and family reasons. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has confirmed the strong possibility of his return. This publication has chosen not to seek comment from the player, given his potential international recall in the coming hours. Notably, Nair captained Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare tournament last season.

Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma's move to Baroda appears imminent. Sources within the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) have informed this website that the transfer is expected to be finalized within the next day or two. Sharma captained Vidarbha in the SMAT competition and played under Nair in the VHT, although his impact was limited. He did not participate in the Ranji Trophy.

However, Sharma had a successful IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), delivering several match-winning performances, including in the final. BCA officials have stated that Jitesh will be available for both red-ball and white-ball formats for the state team. Attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful, but Cricbuzz has left a message.

Last season saw Karnataka triumph in the Vijay Hazare tournament, defeating Nair's Vidarbha, but they failed to advance past the knockouts in the SMAT. They also did not reach the knockout stage of the Ranji Trophy. Baroda reached the semifinals of SMAT and the quarterfinals of Vijay Hazare. Their Ranji Trophy campaign concluded in the league stage.