IND vs ENG: In a surprising development, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked KL Rahul to remain available for the upcoming ODI series against England. Initially, Rahul had requested a break from the England assignment, a request the board had agreed to. However, the BCCI has now reversed its decision, with the selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, keen on adding the middle-order batter to the squad.
According to The Times of India, Rahul, who is also a wicketkeeper in the ODIs, was originally set to miss the entire white-ball series against England. The selectors had planned to rest him, but a change of heart led to the BCCI’s request for him to play in the series in order to gain match practice ahead of the Champions Trophy in February.
Rahul, who had a strong showing in the recent Test series in Australia, was one of the few Indian batters to score runs. He finished as the third-highest run-scorer for India with 276 runs in 10 innings, averaging 30.66. Despite his strong performances, Rahul faces stiff competition for the wicketkeeper-batter role in the Champions Trophy squad, with Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson also vying for the spot.
As per a report from Cricbuzz, the BCCI has also requested an extension from the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the Champions Trophy squad announcement. While the ICC had set January 12 as the deadline for submitting the provisional squad, the board is unlikely to meet this deadline.
Several players, including Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakravarthy, are in the running for the Champions Trophy selection. However, final clarity on the roster is still pending as the BCCI continues to assess its options.
