Star India batter KL Rahul is set to return to domestic red-ball cricket, confirming his availability for Karnataka in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season. The right-handed batter will feature in Karnataka’s Group D fixture against Punjab, starting January 29 in Mullanpur.
According to a Times of India report, Rahul will miss Karnataka’s January 22 match against Madhya Pradesh in Alur but is expected to join the squad for the Punjab clash. The decision aligns with the BCCI’s emphasis on top players
participating in domestic tournaments, particularly those not involved in immediate international duties. The Punjab-Karnataka match is already generating significant interest, as India's Test captain Shubman Gill is also likely to represent Punjab in the same fixture.
Gill has already joined Punjab for their January 22 game against Saurashtra in Rajkot, a match that will also feature India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Earlier, Gill opted to maximise his red-ball game time following his omission from India’s T20 World Cup plans.
Notably, Punjab faces a tough qualification path. They need two wins from their remaining group games to keep their knockout hopes alive, and clashes against strong teams like Saurashtra and Karnataka make the task challenging.
Furthermore, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy will continue to represent Andhra in their remaining group matches against Vidarbha and Nagaland. Andhra are currently placed second in Group A and have a strong chance of advancing to the knockout stages. Reddy, who recently scored a half-century in the ODI series against New Zealand, is being viewed by the Indian team management as a potential backup for Hardik Pandya in the limited-overs setup.
Notably, India Test vice-captain Rishabh Pant is unlikely to feature in the Ranji Trophy. He was not named in Delhi’s squad for their match against Chhattisgarh and is expected to head to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru as he continues his recovery.
