Virender Sehwag wants Karun Nair to cross his 319

The thrilling end moments of the Australia-Pakistan clash at Brisbane gave plenty of hopes to Test cricket. The major discussion throughout the Monday surrounded around the Test but then Karun Nair stole the limelight as he thundered his way to the 300-club and in doing so became only the second Indian after Virender Sehwag to enter the illustrious union. Where no other Indian had managed to cross 300, Sehwag got there twice (at Multan in 2004 and Chennai in 2008) and came close for the third time before departing for 293 against Sri Lanka at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

Nair’s unbeaten 303 came in his third Test at Chennai and he became only the third person after Garry Sobers and Bob Simpson to covert his maiden century to a triple ton. His show helped India register 759 runs, their highest in this format and has also put them in a commanding position as they eye a 4-0 win against England, a side that had beaten them in 2011, 2012-13 and 2014. Sehwag is not known to mince with words, in fact he is extra vocal with his opinions. He expressed his glee with a tweet, “Yay ! Welcome to the 300 club @karun126 . It was very lonely here for the last 12 years 8 months. Wish you the very best Karun.Maza aa gaya!”

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Yay ! Welcome to the 300 club @karun126 .
It was very lonely here for the last 12 years 8 months.
Wish you the very best Karun.Maza aa gaya!

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 19, 2016

Sehwag expressed his desire to watch Nair cross his highest Indian record score of 319 that he registered against South Africa at the same venue in Chennai.

“I wish next time he would crosses 319, my score. I want that record broken. Because every record is meant to be broken. Welcome to the 300 club. I have been waiting alone for company for 12 years and eight months, hoping some Indian would come and join me,” Sehwag told Mumbai Mirror.

FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs England, 5th Test at Chennai

Sehwag had watched Nair sculpt a triple ton in the Ranji Trophy Final of 2014-15 and he had high expectations from the Karnataka youngster. Speaking of the rising expectations from him, Sehwag added, “Scoring a biggie so early is a kind of icing on the cake. You earn respect straightway, from teammates and the opposition. People will think that he is a Lambi race ka ghoda. You get stamped that way. There will be expectations but that is a good sign.”

[read-also]558972,531939[/read-also]

The Nawab of Najafgarh enjoyed batting the carefree way and maintained a strike rate in excess of 80 in Test cricket. Sehwag was impressed with Nair’s scoring rate.

“He deserved it. There was a conscious effort to reach there. That he took 70-odd balls to reach 300 from 200 is an indication of his intent,” said Sehwag.

Sehwag also mentioned about Chennai’s fondness for runs and records.  “Mr Gavaskar has scored major runs there, Sachin Tendulkar too has done special things there, the tied Test was there and my triple was also there .Now this rare feat has come on the same ground and I actually see something special at the Chepauk,” he signed off.