The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appears to have reconsidered KL Rahul’s exclusion from the upcoming ODI series against England. Initially, Rahul had reportedly requested a break from the series, a request the BCCI had approved. However, according to fresh reports, the board has now asked him to participate, with the selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar eager to include him in the squad.
“The selectors initially decided to rest Rahul, who plays in the middle order and is a wicketkeeper in the ODIs, from the entire white-ball series against England at home. However, they had a rethink, and the BCCI has now asked him to play in the ODI series so that he gains some match practice ahead of the Champions Trophy in February,” a source told *Times of India*.
Rahul, who had a decent showing in the Test series in Australia, was India’s third-highest run-scorer with 276 runs in 10 innings at an average of 30.66. Despite being ahead in the pecking order, he is competing with Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson for the wicketkeeper-batter role in the Champions Trophy squad. The selectors now reportedly want to evaluate his form in the ODIs against England before finalizing their decision.
A Cricbuzz report indicates that the BCCI has sought an extension from the ICC regarding the Champions Trophy provisional squad announcement. While the ICC had set January 12 as the deadline, it seems unlikely that the BCCI will meet it.
Key players such as Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy are being considered for the Champions Trophy squad. However, the final composition of the team remains uncertain.
