Experienced campaigner KL Rahul ruled out of Ranchi Test

KL Rahul has been ruled out of the fourth Test against England in Ranchi after not fully recovering from a quadriceps injury that forced him to miss the games in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot. The experienced middle-order batter featured in the series opener in Hyderabad, scoring 86 and 22, but an injury sustained in that match consigned him to the treatment table.

Since his comeback after four months on the sidelines, Rahul has delivered the goods for India across formats. He was the only centurion for India in the drawn two-Test series in South Africa in December 2023.

Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was supposed to be rested for the third Test of the ongoing England series, will now be afforded rest in the next Test. Whether he will play the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala could depend on the result of the fourth Test, starting on February 23. Cumulatively, Bumrah bowled 80.5 overs in the first three Tests.