Are KL Rahul and Prasidh Krishna Ready for Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- K.L. Rahul and Prasidh Krishna are back in the squad.
- Karnataka aims to defend their title.
- Group matches commence on December 24 in Ahmedabad.
- Young talents like Harshil Dharmani and Dhruv Prabhakar have been included.
- Karun Nair is the vice-captain of the team.
Bengaluru, Dec 17 (NationPress) The Indian pair of wicketkeeper-batter K.L. Rahul and fast-bowler Prasidh Krishna have been included in Karnataka's roster for the forthcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy. The reigning champions Karnataka will kick off their Group ‘A’ matches in Ahmedabad on December 24.
The inclusion of Rahul, who recently led India during the ODI series against South Africa, where the team emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline, alongside Prasidh bolsters the squad's experience under the leadership of Mayank Agarwal. Karun Nair has been designated as vice-captain following his commendable performances in the Ranji Trophy.
Pacer duo Vidwath Kaverappa and Vidyadhar Patel, while not in the primary squad, will accompany the team to Ahmedabad and be on standby for match participation. Up-and-coming batters Harshil Dharmani and Dhruv Prabhakar, who also contributes with off-spin bowling, have received call-ups due to their impressive performances in the U23 50-over tournament last month.
Additionally, left-arm spinner Shreesha Achar is the sole specialist slow bowler included in the squad. Yere Goud will take on the role of head coach, while Mansur Ali Khan and Shabarish Mohan will handle the bowling and fielding coaching duties, respectively. Karnataka's Group A rivals include Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Pondicherry, Kerala, and Tripura.
With a three-week interval between India's final T20I against South Africa on December 19 and the opening ODI against New Zealand on January 11, 2026, in Vadodara, this time will be utilized by all India players, except Shreyas Iyer, who is recuperating from a spleen injury he sustained in October, to participate in the 50-over domestic tournament for their respective states. Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant have already been included in Delhi's probable list.
Karnataka squad: Mayank Agarwal (captain), Karun Nair (vice-captain), Devdutt Padikkal, Ravichandran Smaran, KL Shrijith, Abhinav Manohar, Shreyas Gopal, V. Vyshak, Manvanth Kumar, Shreesha Achar, Abhilash Shetty, B.R. Sharath, Harshil Dharmani, Dhruv Prabhakar, K.L. Rahul, and Prasidh Krishna.