Updated 26 January 2026 at 20:31 IST
Devdutt Padikkal To Lead Karnataka In Ranji Trophy, KL Rahul Named In Squad
KL Rahul has been named in the Karnataka squad for the upcoming Ranji Trophy fixture against Punjab.
KL Rahul could be seen featuring in the domestic circuit as he has been picked in Karnataka's Ranji Trophy squad. The Indian batter wasn't picked in the T20 World Cup squad and will have ample amount of time before India's next ODI fixture in July.
KL Rahul Named In Karnataka Ranji Trophy Squad
Rahul was last involved in a Ranji Trophy game last year against Haryana and he is very likely to take charge in a must-win game against Punjab. The Indian batter is regarded as one of the finest in red-ball cricket and Karnataka can surely benefit from his presence. A huge loss at the hands of Madhya Pradesh didn't help their cause and they are now on the absolute brink.
Karnataka are currently placed third in Group B with 21 points. Prasidh Krishna has also been named in the Karnataka squad for the Punjab Ranji Trophy fixture. The Indian speedster is expected to spearhead Karnataka's bowling attack in this game.
In another development, Devdutt Padikkal has replaced Mayanak Agarwal as the Karnataka captain. The southpaw will now lead the side against Punjab and will hope to resurrect his batting form after recording two ducks in the last Ranji Trophy fixture.
He was in full flow in the Vijay Hazare Trophy as Karnataka made it to the last four, but that hasn't been the case in red-ball cricket. Mayank also hasn't been amongst runs and has yet to get past the 300-run barrier after 9 games. Karnataka will host Punjab at Alur from January 29.
Karnataka Squad For Ranji Trophy Game Against Punjab
Mayank Agarawal, KL Rahul, Aneesh KV, Devdutt Padikkal (Captain), Smaran R, Shreyas Gopal, Kruthik Krishna (WK), Venkatesh M, Vidyadhar Patil, Vidwath Kaverappa, Prasidh M Krishna, Mohsin Khan, Shikhar Shetty, Shrijith KL (WK), and Dhruv Prabhakar.
Published By : Anirban Sarkar
Published On: 26 January 2026 at 20:31 IST