Arjun Nair gets his first wicket in Cairns and Pakistan are in some trouble: https://t.co/2s2wmRlTdP #CAXIvPAK pic.twitter.com/Q12gdy4Doe
— cricket.com.au Video (@CricketVideo) December 8, 2016
Eighteen-year-old all-rounder Arjun Nair came into focus recently after top-scoring against Pakistan in a three-day tour match in early December.
Nair, whose roots are in Kerala, represented Cricket Australia XI in the three-day match where he played a fighting knock of 42 runs in the second innings and also came away from the game with a wicket. While Pakistan eventually won the match, Nair saw a lot of attention coming his way. Not just as a batsman but also his unique bowling style.
Nair has modelled his bowling style by watching YouTube clips of Sunil Narine and Ravichandran Ashwin in the Indian Premier League and can bowl carrom balls with great accuracy.
He made his Big Bash debut on Thursday playing for the Sydney Thunder against the Melbourne Renegades, with Narine in the opposition.
Could we see 18-year old Arjun Nair make his #ThunderNation debut tonight against the Melbourne Renegades? #BBL06 pic.twitter.com/r3Bvk2gOhz
— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) December 21, 2016
Nair’s action can be compared to Narine, who both has an assortment of tricks in his bag, including carrom balls, knuckle balls and skidders. Nair now is being considered as a future international player for Australia, who are starved for a wicket-taking spinner in all formats.
Nair recently took eight wickets and bowled 12 maidens in New South Wales Blues’ clash against Campbelltown-Camden in a Sydney Premier Cricket clash. The 18-year-old finished with figures of 8 for 17 on the opening day against a side featuring another prominent spinner, former England tweaker Monty Panesar.
He however could not turn up on the second day after being called up to play for Cricket Australia XI against Pakistan.
He was the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup last October, and earned his first class debut for the NSW Blues last year aged just 17.
Nair has also been in form in the T20 format. During a tour of New Zealand for Big Bash side, Sydney Thunder, he picked up three wickets and also posted scores of 30 and 17 not out in two matches.
Nair was born in Canberra after his parents migrated from Kerala to Australia. His father, Jayanand Nair, was a former hockey player in the southern Indian state.
