We are feeling as if we are in heaven, say Karun Nair's parents

Chennai [India], Dec. 19 (ANI): Karun Nair's parents are ecstatic with their son's historic performance after he became the second Indian batsman to score a triple hundred in Test cricket. Nair's unbeaten 303* helped India to declare on 759/7 in their first innings on Day 4 of the fifth and final Test against England being played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The 25-year-old, who plays for Karnataka in the domestic circuit, joined the former swashbuckling Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who has the distinction of reaching the landmark twice. Back in March 2008, the Chepauk Stadium had witnessed the first triple-hundred on Indian soil as Sehwag plundered 319 against South Africa. The Karnataka boy, playing his third Test, having made his debut in this series only at Mohali, smashed 32 fours and four sixes in his historic innings. Nair's 300 is now the fifth highest individual score Test score by an Indian batsman. Sehwag's 319 and 300, followed by VVS Laxman's 281 and Dravid's 278 are the best Test scores before. Speaking to ANI, Karun's father Kaladharan Nair said till Monday morning, he did not even think that his son would score a triple hundred. "I really feel proud of my son who achieved 300, whereas till the morning we didn't think about that, until he scored 200 we did not even think he would score 300. It is a great achievement for all his hard work, from childhood he struggled and today he achieved it," Kaladharan said. "We never advise him anything about cricket we only encourage him to play well," he added. Karun's father further said that they felt bad for KL Rahul, who yesterday felt just one run short of scoring his maiden double hundred. "They (Karun and Rahul) have been friends from childhood. We felt sad when he didn't score 200, but for his friend he achieved 300," he said. Rahul, who struck his fourth hundred on the third day of the Chennai Test, was unfortunate as he got out just one run short of his maiden double hundred in the last hour of the day. Jubilant with Karun's feat, his mother Prema Nair, who is a teacher by profession, said she was very proud with what her son has done for Team India. "I am very proud. I am feeling as if I am in heaven," she said with a big smile on her face. Nair also became the first Indian to convert a maiden double hundred into a triple. Playing only his third Test, Nair forged two major partnerships ---181 for the sixth wicket with Ravichandran Ashwin (67) and then 138 for the seventh wicket with Ravindra Jadeja (51) ---to take India to the their highest Test total. This is India's highest score against any opponent surpassing the previous best of 726/9 declared against Sri Lanka in 2009. (ANI)