Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, two of India’s star batters, will miss the upcoming round of Ranji Trophy matches due to fitness concerns. According to reports from ESPNCricinfo, Kohli has been struggling with neck pain, while Rahul is dealing with an elbow issue. Both players have informed the BCCI medical team that these injuries will prevent them from participating in their respective teams’ matches from January 23.
Kohli’s Delhi team will face Saurashtra in an Elite Group D match in Rajkot from January 23 to 26, while Rahul’s Karnataka will take on Punjab in Bengaluru during the same period. Kohli had already received an injection for his neck pain on January 8, and despite the treatment, he continues to experience discomfort.
KL Rahul, on the other hand, is facing an issue with his elbow, although there is hope that both players will be fit for their teams’ last group-stage matches of the Ranji Trophy, scheduled from January 30 to February 2.
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As per BCCI regulations, all centrally contracted players are expected to participate in domestic cricket. If a player is unavailable, they must seek permission from the national chairman of selectors. Among the Indian Test players available for the upcoming matches are Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant.
“Shreyas Iyer once told BCCI he couldn’t play a Ranji Trophy game, and they removed him from the central contract. Now Virat Kohli & KL Rahul are skipping games—does BCCI have the same guts to act? Double standards much? 🤔 #ShreyasIyer #ChampionsTrophy
— Harsh 17 (@harsh03443) January 18, 2025
Rishabh Pant will play for Delhi, while Gill and Jadeja are set to feature for Punjab and Saurashtra, respectively. Jadeja, the world No. 1 all-rounder, last played in the Ranji Trophy for Saurashtra in January 2023 before returning to the Indian Test squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Both Gill and Pant also played in the Duleep Trophy in 2024 for India B and India A, respectively.
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Meanwhile, young opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has made himself available for Mumbai’s next Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding Rohit Sharma’s participation, although he was seen training with Mumbai’s Ranji team at Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday.
