April 30, 2025: Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has delivered a blunt assessment of Karun Nair’s recent form, stating that the Delhi Capitals batter has failed to capitalise on the second opportunity handed to him in IPL 2025.
Chopra’s comments came after Delhi Capitals fell short by 14 runs in their high-profile clash against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Karun, once hailed for his explosive 89 off 40 balls earlier in the tournament, has since seen his form taper off dramatically.
“Karun Nair hasn’t made the most of the second chance that cricket has given him,” Chopra said during an appearance on JioHotstar. “This was a kind of run chase where the eight overs from Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy had to be negotiated.”
Karun’s IPL comeback was seen as a heartwarming moment in the cricketing world, especially after his emotional tweet from December 2022:
“Dear cricket, give me one more chance.”
That wish came true when he smashed a dazzling 89 in one of DC’s earlier matches. However, his inability to build on that performance has become a talking point. In his last five innings, the 32-year-old has scored just 65 runs, raising doubts about his consistency and long-term spot in the team.
Chopra also highlighted KL Rahul’s run-out as a pivotal moment in Delhi’s failed 205-run chase, stating it turned the momentum in KKR’s favour. He added that while Faf du Plessis did his part, the lack of a supporting act proved costly.
“Someone else had to bat alongside Faf and take the game deep. They didn’t start well, and that hurt them,” he concluded.
The loss adds pressure on the Delhi Capitals as the IPL 2025 playoff race heats up, and the focus is once again on underperforming senior players like Karun Nair who were expected to anchor the middle order.