Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 27 : Indian batter KL Rahul has been included in the Karnataka squad for their upcoming Ranji Trophy match against Haryana, which will commence from January 30 onwards.
The squad was announced on the official website of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
The squad will be led by Mayank Agarawal, who will be opening the innings. The squad also features international players like Devdutt Padikkal and pacer Prasidh Krishna, along with prominent domestic players such as Abhinav Manohar, spinner Shreyas Gopal, and Vidwath Kaverappa.
In their previous Ranji match, Karnataka put Punjab to bat first, which was flattened by Karnataka for just 55 runs, with skipper Shubman Gill making just four.
Following that, a double ton from Ravichandran Smaran (203 in 277 balls, with 25 fours and three sixes) took Karnataka to a massive 475. Punjab could not overcome the massive deficit of 420 runs, despite a century from Gill (102 in 171 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes) and were folded for just 213 runs in their second innings and lost by an innings and 207 runs.
Karnataka is in third spot in Group C, with two wins and four losses, giving them 19 points.
In the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Rahul had a solid outing, scoring 276 runs in five Tests at an average of 30.66, with two half-centuries. His best score was 84. KL ended the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship (WTC) campaign with 615 runs in 11 matches and 20 innings at an average of 34.16, with a century and four fifties. His best score was 101.
For Karnataka in first-class cricket, KL has made 2,974 runs in 31 matches and 55 innings at an average of 57.19, with seven centuries 14 fifties and the best score of 337.
Karnataka squad for the match against Haryana: Mayank Agarwal (captain), KL Rahul, Shreyas Gopal (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, KV Aneesh, R Smaran, KL Shrijith (wk), Abhinav Manohar, Hardik Raj, Prasidh Krishna, Vidwath Kaverappa, Vasuki Koushik, Abhilash Shetty, Yashovardhan Parantap, Nikin Jose, Sujay Sateri (wk), Mohsin Khan.