KL Rahul to miss Karnataka's Ranji Trophy match against Punjab
What's the story
Seasoned Indian cricketer KL Rahul will not be playing the upcoming Ranji Trophy match between Karnataka and Punjab. The decision comes as Rahul is recovering from an elbow injury. The match will be played on January 23, the penultimate Elite Group C encounter for this season's tournament. Rahul was recently seen in India's tour of Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was one of the few positives for India who lost the series.
Leadership change
Mayank Agarwal to lead Karnataka in Rahul's absence
In Rahul's absence, the onus of leading the 16-member Karnataka team has been handed over to Mayank Agarwal. The squad also features prominent players such as India pacer Prasidh Krishna and top-order batter Devdutt Padikkal. Padikkal has recently shown his prowess by scoring 102, 86 and 8 in three Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, bolstering the team's lineup even more.
New vice-captain
Shreyas Gopal elevated as vice-captain for upcoming match
Shreyas Gopal, who was instrumental in Karnataka's successful Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign with 18 wickets, has been elevated to the vice-captaincy role. This new leadership structure is likely to add fresh dynamics to the team's performance in their next match against Punjab. The full squad comprises Mayank Agarwal (captain), Shreyas Gopal (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, KV Aneesh, R Smaran, KL Shrijith (wicketkeeper), Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Raj, Prasidh Krishna etc.
Comeback plans
Rahul's potential return and future commitments
Despite his current injury, reports suggest that Rahul could return for Karnataka's final league match against Haryana on January 30. He has also been picked for India's ODI squad for the three-match home series against England, starting February 6. Rahul will also be seen representing India in the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts on February 19.
VHT
Vijay Hazare Trophy: Karnataka clinch record 5th title
Karnataka registered a historic win in the 2024-25 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, beating Vidarbha by 36 runs. The final was played at Vadodara's Kotambi Stadium. This win marked Karnataka's record fifth title in the prestigious domestic cricket tournament. The team was led to victory by Smaran Ravichandran's second List A hundred and important contributions from other key players. Karnataka posted 348/6 in 50 overs. In response, Vidarbha scored 312/10.