Karun Nair, Jitesh Sharma set to leave Vidarbha

Prior to the upcoming campaign, the Vidarbha state team, one of the best in the previous domestic season, may lose two of its star players. Karun Nair and Jitesh Sharma, the Central Zone team's batting leaders in both the red-ball and white-ball formats, have decided to leave the Nagpur-based team. Vidarbha were the champions in the Ranji Trophy, runners-up in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and quarterfinalists in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) in the 2024-25 tournaments. It has been confirmed that Jitesh, who is 31 years old, has made the decision to relocate to Baroda, and that Nair, who is 33 years old, is preparing to return to his home state of Karnataka. Vidarbha's domestic success last season was built on strong batting contributions from the two batters, with Nair playing a key role. He is currently with the Indian team in England and, in all likelihood, could make a comeback to the national side after eight years. Nair scored 863 runs in the Ranji Trophy - the fourth-highest in the tournament - and topped the charts in the Vijay Hazare one-day competition with 779 runs. He left his home state prior to the 2023–2024 season, but it now appears that he will be returning for family and personal reasons. Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) sources confirmed that Nair's return is a strong possibility. This website has refrained from seeking a comment from the player, as he is on the cusp of an international comeback within the next 24 hours. Nair led Vidarbha in the Vijay Hazare tournament last season. In the meantime, Jitesh will almost certainly relocate to Baroda. This website has been informed by sources within the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) that the transfer should be completed within a day or two. Jitesh captained Vidarbha in the SMAT competition and played under Nair in the VHT but could not make much of an impact. He did not play in the Ranji Trophy. Last season, Karnataka won the Vijay Hazare tournament beating Nair's Vidarbha but could not make the knockouts in the SMAT. In the Ranji Trophy, they failed to reach the knockout stage. In Vijay Hazare's quarterfinals, Baroda lost in the semifinals. Their Ranji Trophy campaign came to a close in the league stage.