New Delhi, Jan 27 India batter KL Rahul is set to make a return to the Ranji Trophy after being named in Karnataka’s squad for their league stage match against Haryana, to be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru from January 30 to February 2.
Rahul was not available for Karnataka’s win over Punjab due to an elbow niggle, but is now fit and available for the side in their clash against Elite Group C toppers Haryana, which they need to win to boost their chances of entering the knockouts.
It is also understood that Rahul will practice with the Karnataka team on Tuesday and Wednesday. Rahul, 32, last featured in a Ranji Trophy match back in February 2020 against Bengal at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. His last domestic red-ball game came for India A during the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru in September last year.
Rahul's return means Karnataka are full strength for their game against Haryana, with Mayank Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal and Prasidh Krishna other capped Indian players in the team. Pacer Vidwath Kaverappa has also been named in the squad after recovering from an injury which kept him out of action since the Duleep Trophy in September last year.
Meanwhile, talismanic batter Virat Kohli is slated to train with the Delhi team on Tuesday ahead of his first Ranji Trophy appearance since 2012. IANS had previously reported that Kohli had communicated to the DDCA about his availability for their last group game against Railways, set to happen at the Arun Jaitley Stadium from January 30 to February 2.
Kohli had opted out of Delhi's previous match, where they lost to Saurashtra by ten wickets in Rajkot, due to a neck niggle. But in the past few days, social media was abuzz with visuals of Kohli working under former India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach Sanjay Bangar at a training facility away from Mumbai.
Other India players set to play in final league phase of the Ranji Trophy include all-rounder Riyan Parag, who is set to lead Assam against Saurashtra in Rajkot after recovering from a shoulder injury needing surgery, while pacer Mohammed Siraj set to take the field for Hyderabad against Vidarbha in Nagpur.
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